The digitization of cultural heritage has emerged as a crucial approach to preserving and disseminating cultural assets. However, current methods often face limitations in terms of user experience, educational value, and interactivity. This study integrates emotional design theory to propose a sandbox-style virtual museum model for cultural heritage. Using Ming Dynasty military attire as the subject, the “Ming Armor” sandbox virtual museum was developed. The design leverages the visceral, behavioral, and reflective layers of emotional design to enhance sensory experience, interaction, and cultural identity, respectively. To evaluate its effectiveness, a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted, focusing on motivation, user experience, and learning outcomes. The results demonstrate significant success in stimulating user interest, enhancing immersion, and promoting knowledge acquisition, though areas such as task difficulty and operational guidance require improvement. This study offers innovative insights into cultural heritage digitization and provides theoretical and practical support for the integration of sandbox games and virtual museums.