How passthrough XR works
High-fidelity cameras on the headset capture the real environment and display it inside the headset in real time, with digital content composited on top. The visitor sees the actual gallery, the actual artefact, and the actual people around them — enhanced, not replaced. Three principles define the experience:
1. The world is enhanced, not replaced
Unlike virtual reality, visitors are never blindfolded. The physical venue stays visible throughout, with historically accurate 3D content layered seamlessly into the room. The site itself remains the protagonist of the visit.
2. Visitors participate
Visitors walk into reconstructed spaces, make choices that reveal different narratives, and engage as active explorers rather than passive observers. The experience is interactive, not a linear playback.
3. The experience is shared
Visitors see each other clearly the whole time. They point, react, and explore together — families stay together, school groups stay connected. What could be a solitary screen activity becomes a shared social memory.
Passthrough XR vs VR, AR, and projection mapping
The differences are not academic — they determine what a venue must build, staff, and maintain.
| Criterion | Passthrough XR | Virtual reality (VR) | Augmented reality (AR) | Projection mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor sees the real venue | Yes — real space stays visible with content layered in | No — fully synthetic environment | Yes — via phone screen or light overlay | Yes — imagery projected onto surfaces |
| Dedicated dark room required | No | Usually | No | Usually |
| Structural changes to the venue | None | Often — safe zones, tracked areas | None | Significant — screens, projection surfaces |
| Visitors are mobile and free-roaming | Yes, within the existing layout | Rarely — typically seated or confined | Yes | Yes, within the installation |
| Visitors see each other | Yes, clearly | No | Yes | Yes |
| Depth and immersion of content | High — room-scale 3D scenes and characters | High | Low to medium — floating overlays | Medium — flat surfaces only |
| Typical capital cost to the venue | Can be zero — capex-free models exist | High | Low to medium | Very high |
What passthrough XR means for a museum or heritage site
- No structural changes. The experience operates within the existing venue layout — no remodelling, no dedicated simulation spaces, no safe zones.
- Designed for throughput. Free-roaming, multi-visitor sessions fit existing visitor flow and peak-time patterns rather than bottlenecking them.
- Suitable for ages 6+. Lightweight, glasses-friendly hardware with hygiene protocols built into the visitor routine.
- Reversible. Hardware removes in hours; a full decommission takes under 48 hours. Nothing is permanent unless it works.
- A new revenue line. Deployed as a ticketed add-on experience, priced and sold by the venue.
Passthrough XR in live deployment
At the Davidson Center Archaeological Park in Jerusalem, a 15-minute outdoor passthrough XR journey lets visitors experience the Second Temple period layered onto the real ruins. Deployed in two weeks with zero structural modifications:
At the Palace of Versailles, Yalla Digital delivered Light of Liberty — a 15-minute passthrough XR experience for the Alliance 250 commemoration, in which visitors stand in the palace as it appeared in 1778. It opened to the public in June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much space does passthrough XR need?
It works within the venue's existing layout. Because visitors see the real space, the experience is mapped to actual rooms and pathways — no dedicated simulation space or dark room is required.
What hardware do visitors wear?
Lightweight, glasses-friendly commercial-grade headsets configured in kiosk mode for continuous daily use, with remote monitoring, hygiene protocols, and maintenance processes handled as part of the deployment.
Is passthrough XR suitable for children and school groups?
Yes. The hardware and interaction patterns are designed for ages 6 and up, and because visitors can see each other throughout, groups stay socially connected during the experience. Individual experiences may set their own age recommendations.
What does it cost a venue?
Potentially nothing upfront. Capex-free commercial structures are available in which production, hardware, installation, and staffing are funded by Yalla, and the venue sells tickets directly. See how the commercial models work.
Explore passthrough XR for your venue
Yalla Digital builds and funds a fully operational first scene in your venue — you make the stop/go decision only after standing inside it. Sixty minutes of your time to start.
Begin a Letter of Intent →