ABSTRACT
Immersive environments create a perception through various tools and techniques of being physically present in a recreated space/time. Video games can allow the reconstruction of periods and societies that no longer exist and can provide accurate representations through immersive environments. Although virtual reconstruction has become one of the main techniques, immersive environments can be designed for many different sites through games, walking tours, activities, and interpretation. Re-enactment is a practice based on an intention to recreate the past in the present through the performance of certain actions. The Iowa Living History Farms recreate individual farmsteads, while other projects like the Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts aim at recreating communities. To conclude, recreation of the past through immersive environments can help historians attract and engage popular audiences. Due to the complexity of the tools and skills requested, historians are strongly encouraged to enter collaborative projects.
