V-MusT (Virtual Museum Transnational Network) is a new EU FP7-funded network of excellence that aims to provide the heritage sector with the tools and support to develop virtual museums that are educational, enjoyable, long-lasting and easy to maintain. Virtual Museums (VMs) are personalized, immersive, interactive experiences that enhance our understanding of the world around us. The term 'VM' is a general one that covers various types of digital creations including virtual reality and 3D. The V-MusT.net partners believe that Europe has the capacity to become the worldwide leader in the domain of VM. This leadership can only be achieved if we resolve the problem of research fragmentation and share the knowledge required to integrate VMs into the broader museum domain in a sustainable way. We can achieve this by connecting different technological domains, integrating social and cognitive sciences, providing state-of-the-art digital preservation and authoring tools, proving the socio-economic impact of VM and establishing sound methods of quality assessment.