Connecting data to space: Creating an interactive, educational 3D model of the Revolutionary City

Interactive 3D models are becoming an important tool for presenting views of prehistoric and historical sites and educating audiences about the past. These models can help both specialists and non-specialists to visualize historical landscapes. However many modeling projects are moving beyond just focusing on the visual to linking informative content to the 3D representation for research purposes or to create an enhanced educational experience. This paper explores the data structure and graphical user interface developed to manage and present educational content through Virtual Williamsburg, an interactive model of Williamsburg, Virginia (U.S.A.) on May 15, 1776. Creating a flexible, extensible, and workable data structure for managing information in a 3D environment of an entire town at different points in time proved quite complex. The key is to consider each space as a scene depicting a specific moment in time. In this way, the same room, building, or landscape can be represented in multiple ways and linked to different information supporting the visualization.