The open air museum Anno in Hamar, has implemented AR-technology, so-called “augmented reality” in their quest of teaching children what the world looked like long before they were born. When using a smartphone, cows appear between the houses at the site where you can visit the ruins of the old cathedral, Domkirkeodden. The cows lead the way through the landscape as it appeared in the 1800s. The kids can meet the people who lived in the farms, and see what it looked like inside the houses. The technological platform also has a gaming-element, motivating the children to learn more. “Kids should feel that it is fun to visit a museum”, says Magnus Sempler Holte, who head the Public and Dissemination Section of Anno Museum.
The museum has received funding from Hedmark County Council and the Savings Bank Fund in order to develop the product.
Innlandet County as pilot test
Recently, three advisers from the County visited the museum to test the AR-product. “It will be really funny when we come back in the summer to test the finished product and to see the reaction from the general public”, says Liv Bjerke, adviser for the tourist industry in Innlandet County.
Focus on AR and VR in Innlandet
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality has a huge potential, and the County, together with the tourist industry, is learning from other regions all over Europe thanks to the Interreg Europe project DIGITOURISM. The goal is to be at the forefront of the rapid technological development. It can open up many new possibilities, not only for the tourism industry, but also other areas, especially for education purposes. “Our participation in DIGITOURISM has given us a whole new focus on technology in the tourist industry. For the County, it has been very motivating to have the destination companies with us in the project, to make sure it is relevant for them. The goal is to elaborate good strategies and ensure that the tourist industry in Innlandet is ready for the digital age”, says Liv Bjerke.
