How Augmented Reality has saved Notre Dame's Heritage?

On April 15, 2019, an electrical short sparked a fire that threatened to destroy Notre Dame de Paris, the 850-year-old world-famous cathedral. The fire swept through its attic, melting the roof and sending the spire plunging into the space. It was a scary moment for those who appreciated its superior architecture and also for those who considered it their holy place. For some, the end times had come. Luckily, architects have put their best foot forward to save the heart of Notre Dame. Thanks to Augmented Reality(AR), Notre Dame remains a cultural experience for the public.

The Exhibition of Notre Dame Through Augmented Reality

In conjunction with the public institution in charge of the conservation and restoration of Notre Dame, a French startup Histovery has brought Notre Dame's history into the public eye.

The unique history of Notre Dame has been presented to the world through augmented reality in exhibitions and museums worldwide. Augmented Reality technology has enabled artists to provide more visual information about Notre Dame to the public. Walking through the exhibition gives you a unique chance to travel back and interact with the previous eras.

How is the Experience?

Histovery developed an augmented touchscreen tablet, the HistoPad, that allows visitors to be part of the experience. 

In Notre Dame's Augmented Reality exhibition, visitors can reminisce on the historical saga of the cathedral, from its construction in the middle ages to the major events and the ongoing efforts of repairing and rebuilding after the 2019 fire.

Visitors get a chance to see giant photographs of the cathedral that had not been published, models of the gargoyles and cathedral statue in 3-D, the stone tile flooring, stained glass windows (replica of its decor), and the faux. 

They also get to see a projection of the celebrated stained glass rose window that survived the inferno, the organs of Notre Dame, and the tolling bells.

Conclusion

Through Notre Dame's augmented reality exhibition, the world has a chance to see and appreciate the often-overlooked work of architects. The exhibit has turned all of these into a living heritage and a cultural experience for the public to acknowledge.