The AR experience is set to offer four distinct encounters within the museum, with an additional exterior courtyard experience in the iconic Cour Carrée.
The Louvre Museum, one of the most famous French museums known for its treasure trove of historical artifacts, has taken a leap into the world of augmented reality (AR) with its latest exhibition, “Egypt Augmented”, a collaborative project with Snapchat, the popular multimedia messaging app.
The immersive five-part AR experience aims to bring the wonders of Ancient Egypt to life through the lens of modern technology.
Snapchat Partners Louvre Museum
According to an official announcement on October 18, the “Egypt Augmented” exhibit is a result of a unique partnership between Snapchat‘s Paris AR Studio and the Louvre Museum’s Department of Egyptian Antiquities.
The “Egypt Augmented” exhibition promises an enchanting journey into the heart of Ancient Egypt, seamlessly blending the richness of the past with the present technological advancements.
The exhibit will be accessible to the public starting today, October 18, 2023, for one year. Through the use of QR codes, visitors to the museum can unlock a digital doorway to the past, witnessing a fusion of the ancient and the contemporary.
Once open, visitors can enjoy innovative and educational AI experiences in the museum’s Department of Egyptian Antiquities. However, the exhibition is not restricted to museum visitors only. Snapchat users from across the globe can also enjoy the unique experience through Face Lens.
Egypt Augmented to Offer Visitors Unique VR Experiences
The AR experience is set to offer four distinct encounters within the museum, with an additional exterior courtyard experience in the iconic Cour Carrée. One such encounter brings the “Dendera Zodiac”, a captivating Ptolemaic sky map from 50 BC, to life in a three-dimensional form, with lucid explanations of its intricate symbols and significance.
In addition to the Dendera Zodiac, the exhibit promised to resurrect the vivid colors of the “Chamber of Ancestors”, an exquisite representation of Ancient Egyptian dynasties dating back to 1450 BC.
Museum visitors will also be able to enjoy the ancient “Naos of Amasis”, featuring pink granite bas-reliefs and a statue of the deity Osiris, which received ritual offerings and daily worship behind the wooden doors of the Naos, a small chapel set up in the most secret part of the temple in its original form.
In the external courtyard, the AR experience will also showcase a digital rendition of the Luxor-obtained obelisk, which was initially intended for the Cour Carrée but found its eventual place in the heart of Paris at the Place de la Concorde.
AR Experience at Louvre Available for Everyone
Decrypt reported that Vincent Rondot, the head of the Louvre’s Antiquities Department, said the exhibition is available for everyone to explore. However, the AR experience was initially designed to attract the younger generation.
He also emphasized the significance of staying relevant in a rapidly changing world, highlighting how AR technology is a powerful tool in enhancing the museum’s storytelling capabilities.
Hélène Guichard, the Louvre’s Chief Curator, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the museum’s commitment to leveraging technological advancements to amplify public engagement with ancient artifacts.
“Archaeologists are always very curious about progress, and we are always looking at how it can better serve our discipline and our mission of bringing it to the public,” she said.
The “Egypt Augmented” experience serves as a tribute to the 200th anniversary of Jean-François Champollion’s groundbreaking deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs, a pivotal moment in the history of archaeology.
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