The Oculus Rift virtual technology has provided a unique solution for stolen works at galleries and museums, with one developer showcasing lost works through a virtual world in a new programme called Museum of Stolen Art.

Sourced using information from Interpol and the FBI, users can explore a virtual museum filled with art lost through theft, with the aim of increasing visibility, aiding in recovery of said works and raising awareness of cultural theft in times of conflict.



“The idea of creating a virtual reality space for objects with unknown physical locations was interesting to me after coming across the Interpol and FBI databases,” programme creator Ziv Schneider told Hyperallergic.

“I thought: If someone wants the public’s help in recovering a lost object, here is another way in which they can communicate their message.”

The gallery debuted in late December, though it hasn’t been made widely available to the public as of yet. The idea builds on the 2012 Gallery of Lost Art – a website created by the Tate and Channel 4 detailing 40 missing artworks.

The museum’s first virtual exhibition for Museum of Stolen Art looks at artefacts looted from Afghanistan and Iraq’s national museums. In addition, users can see a collection of major paintings stolen from museums in recent decades.