Under the guidance of professor Ed Johnston, Kean University students in the Michael Graves College are working on a research project that brings history to life through virtual reality.

The Liberty Hall 360 project is utilizing augmented reality video technology to allow people to experience the April 28, 1774, wedding of John Jay and Sarah Livingston at Liberty Hall. John Jay was a founding father and the first chief justice of the United States. The event will be reenacted by using clothing from the time period and props that reflect the era.

Recreating this monumental and historical moment is one step towards bringing history to life through virtual reality glasses. When wearing the virtual reality glasses, individuals can experience the wedding as a guest. 

The video reenactment can be accessed through downloading an app on a smartphone or accessing it online. Therefore, anyone with access to these technologies can experience an event that happened hundreds of years ago. 

In order to raise money for a high quality 360 degree video camera, a fundraising campaign has been started on KeanLift. KeanLift is the Kean Foundation's crowdfunding platform. With a goal of raising $5,000 by September 29, 2016, the group surpassing their goal by $45. There were 40 donations made to the project. 

This research project is a developmental step into the future of virtual reality opportunities being used for reliving historical events.