ImmersiveX, AUREA AWARD, Fireside Chat, Teleportal, RP1, and Bay Area XR Guild Recap

The Virtual Worlds Museum™ continues its mission to preserve, document, and celebrate the evolving landscape of immersive worlds. This season marks an exciting period of growth and recognition for our institution across the XR ecosystem. On September 18, 2025, Julian Reyes represented the Museum within the virtual world RP1, presenting The Teleportal as both a living archive and an interoperability framework—a new way to connect and study the digital spaces that define our shared virtual heritage. Soon after, The Teleportal was selected for the WebSpatial startup cohort during Tech Week by a16z, further highlighting its role as a bridge between cultural preservation and technological innovation.

In October, Julian Reyes and Evo Heyning joined the UC Berkeley XR Guild community event to discuss ethics, access, and the archival value of virtual experiences—reinforcing the Museum’s commitment to protecting the stories and artifacts of this emerging medium. Looking ahead, the Museum will participate in Immersive X 2025 (hosted in Germany and accessible via VR) and launch Spotlight Video Series #2, continuing our mission to showcase pioneering creators and the virtual worlds that define their work.

We also welcome new members to our growing team, whose expertise will help strengthen the Museum’s curatorial and educational initiatives as we expand our global network of immersive archives.

‍IMMERSIVE X (November 11-13, 2025)

Our Director Julian Reyes will be presenting on Day 1, Nov 11th, of IMMERSIVE X in Spatial. He’ll share how the Virtual Worlds Museum™ is mapping, preserving, and showcasing the evolving ecosystem of virtual world platforms. The session will explore digital archiving, 3D mapping, ethical considerations, AI, and Immersive Interoperability. Join and learn about the organizations shaping the future of XR including the Virtual World Society, MetaTraversal, and XR Guild. 

The fifth edition of the IMMERSIVE X VR conference is dedicated to the transformative power of XR – a force capable of opening new perspectives, challenging assumptions, and reshaping human behavior. Whether you are a storyteller, business-person, educator, activist, or artist, XR offers a radically new way to engage with your ideas and each other.

Virtual Worlds Museum™ presents Evo Heyning, Richard Bartle, Paige Dasnigner, Andy Fidel XR Culture Fireside Chat, and the Teleportal (Nov 10, 2025) 

​We invite visionaries, technologists, and XR world builders to join us for a special one-hour event celebrating the past, present, and future of virtual worlds. ​Hosted by XR Women, in Engage VR (Instructions & SESSION ID will be sent after SignUp). ​This virtual gathering will feature the NEW book launch of Designing Virtual Worlds Volume I (2nd Edition) by Richard Bartle, whose groundbreaking work helped shape the foundation of immersive digital spaces.

​Event Program:

• ​​Introduction by Evo Heyning
• ​Keynote Talk: Richard Bartle reflects on the history of virtual worlds and the evolution of his influential book.
• ​Fireside Chat: Hosted by Paige Dansinger and Andy FIdel, exploring the art and design of virtual worlds, the ethics of digital preservation, and the creative frontiers shaping the next era of immersive culture.
• ​Live presentation of the Teleportal by Virtual Worlds Museum™, the Teleportal is an interactive map for discovering and exploring virtual world platforms.
• ​This event is both a celebration and a call to imagine what comes next. Together, we’ll honor pioneers building the metaverse and invite new voices to shape the worlds yet to come.

‍RSVP to be part of this historic conversation. Limited seats available.

Thrilled to Announce: Julian Reyes Selected as Juror for AUREA #8 (February 2-4, 2026) 

We’re proud to share that Julian Reyes, award-winning XR producer and Director of the Virtual Worlds Museum™, has been invited to join the jury for AUREA Award #8. The AUREA Awards recognize groundbreaking innovation in immersive and interactive media, and this year’s theme “Through the Looking Glass: Where Layered Realities Unfold”, explores how technology reshapes perception, truth, and storytelling. 

Julian returns to AUREA not only as a previous award recipient, but now as a selected juror helping identify and uplift the next generation of visionary creators shaping the future of XR alongside Kathleen Cohen, Thomas Wagner, Christina Lee Storm and Frank Govaere. 

Teleportal Selected by WebSpatial during TECH WEEK by a16z

We’re honored that The Teleportal by the Virtual Worlds Museum™ was selected as part of the latest WebSpatial startup cohort during Tech Week by a16z. Huge thanks to the judges Amy LaMeyer, David Oh and Tipatat Chennavasin, keynote speaker Tony Parisi, and the WebSpatial team for creating such an inspiring event hosted at Frontier Tower. It was an incredible opportunity to share our vision for mapping and preserving the metaverse alongside fellow founders pushing the boundaries of immersive technology.

We’re looking forward to bringing our Teleportal to the Apple Vision Pro and Pico! We will be releasing a web version soon! Please check our LinkedIn.

‍“The Teleportal is an interactive map and gateway to virtual worlds, derived from the research and curated Exhibits of the Virtual Worlds Museum™. More than a visualization, it transforms cultural preservation into active exploration. Visitors can seamlessly discover, analyze, and explore these platforms, turning knowledge into lived experience. As part research tool, part cultural archive, and part portal, the Teleportal brings the Museum’s mission of education, preservation, and exploration to life in an innovative, interactive form.”

‍RP1 talk by Julian Reyes alongside Caitlin Krause and others (September 18, 2025)

Julian Reyes, Director of the Virtual Worlds Museum™, was invited to speak in the virtual world RP1, where he joined a global network of Metaverse and XR professionals, developers, builders, and creators. The event, organized by Rebecca Evans and the RP1 team, brought together enterprise leaders and innovators to discuss emerging technologies and key takeaways following Meta Connect.

Huge thanks to the Berkeley XR Lab and XR Guild (October 10, 2025) 

Julian Reyes had the opportunity to speak and demo at this special XR Guild event at UC Berkeley’s Bauer Wurster Hall. It brought together XR pros, creators, and innovators for hands-on demos and a thoughtful panel with Avi Bar-Zeev, Prof. Luisa Caldas, Botond Bognar, and Amy LaMeyer on building ethical, impactful tech. Julian showcased Virtual Worlds Museum™, and we loved sharing the floor with fellow demo leads Nicole Lazzaro, Kevin Ang, Evo Heyning (Huge Shout out for organizing), and Dominique Wu. Grateful to everyone who came out to connect, explore, and get inspired!

Welcome Team Members!

The Virtual Worlds Museum™ is delighted to welcome three new team members who bring exceptional expertise in immersive media and innovation. Paige Dansinger joins as Programs Advisor, contributing her leadership in digital culture and inclusive XR initiatives. Jens Kull, the new WebXR Ambassador, blends art and technology actively advancing how we use immersive storytelling and web-based experiences. Greg Panos, joining as Strategy Advisor, brings decades of pioneering work in virtual and augmented reality. Together, they strengthen the Museum’s mission to advance education, ethics, and interoperability across virtual worlds. 

Thank you / Get involved / Community Effort 

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who continues to support the Virtual Worlds Museum™ and our mission to preserve, explore, and connect the evolving landscape of virtual worlds. Your encouragement and collaboration make this work possible. If you’d like to contribute to our efforts or get involved in upcoming initiatives, please reach out through the Contact Us page on our website, we’d love to hear from you.