The fast development of immersive virtual reality (iVR) offers innovative teaching methods, particularly in history education. Research has explored iVR’s pedagogical benefits and challenges, but there are few studies with a focus on design of virtual environments to support history education. This scoping review explores the potential of improving teaching and learning that has been presented in previous studies of iVR design. While some iVR applications have been designed considering the potential to provide narrative to the user, fewer were designed to support critical thinking and methodological approaches to history as a science. This study underscores the need for further development in iVR design for critical and scientific thinking and provides suggestions for how to integrate iVR into history education. The conclusion of the study was that without thoughtful design, iVR would add limited value to learning.