The British Museum, the world’s first national public museum, is venturing into the metaverse. The museum recently announced a partnership with The Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming virtual world, to create a range of digital collectibles that reflect the breadth and depth of the museum’s collections.
The partnership is a significant step for the British Museum, which was founded in 1753 and was the first national public museum in the world. Its collection tells the stories of cultures across the world, from the dawn of human history to the present. Objects range from the earliest tools made by humans and treasures from the ancient world to more recent acquisitions from Africa, Oceania and the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, as well as the national collections of prints and drawings, and coins and medals.
“We are very excited to collaborate with the British Museum to share its incredible collections to new audiences in the metaverse,” said Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox. “This is a great opportunity for The Sandbox players, regardless of where they are, to learn about the amazing wealth of human history, art, and culture that the British Museum has to offer.”
The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is one of the decentralized virtual worlds that has been fueling the recent growth of virtual real estate demand. The platform has already partnered with major brands including the BBC, Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Rabbids, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Richie Hawtin, The Smurfs, Care Bears, Atari, ZEPETO, CryptoKitties, and more.
The collaboration with the British Museum is being facilitated by LaCollection, the museum’s licensing partner. LaCollection offers collectors new ways to discover, experience, and own exceptional art on the blockchain from the world’s best museums, and leading digital artists. Each NFT is authenticated, approved by the relevant museum, gallery, or artist, and secured on the blockchain.
