Take the wheel of the St. Roch in this interactive exhibit

The Vancouver Maritime Museum has teamed up with world-renowned Haley Sharpe Design and the Centre for Digital Media to present the Wheelhouse Experience that allows visitors to drive a simulation of St. Roch through an Arctic pass. 

The Wheelhouse Experience is a replica of the existing St. Roch wheelhouse, with five screens replacing the windows on three sides showing a CGI representation of the hull of the ship amidst the ice flows of the Arctic. Visitors are invited to take the wheel and navigate through a simulation of Canada’s Arctic past that features wildlife such as walrus, polar bears and narwhal. There are two paths through the ice to choose from as you experience the sounds and sights of the north.

The simulated ship responds to the turning of the wheel twice as fast as the real St. Roch would have done. At a simulated speed of eight knots, you are traveling at more than double the average speed that the St. Roch took through the Northwest Passage.

This collaboration was made possible by the generous contribution of Robert Allan Ltd, a strong supporter of the Vancouver Maritime Museum.