The Natural History Museum in London, UK, has made its new Darwin Building open to the public. The latest addition to the museum, the Darwin Building houses a vast array of specimens from all over the world. While these displays of biology have been capturing the interest of visitors, the Attenborough Studio, which is housed in the Darwin Building, is offering visitors an experience they will not soon forget. The experience comes in the form of augmented reality.
Visitors to the Attenborough Studio are usually treated to films and live events depicting the various aspects of nature and biology. A new program has been introduced to the studio, allowing audiences to witness such exhibitions is a way they never have before. Using augmented reality, the museum is blending graphic displays with real life, using film as the preferred medium.
One such film features David Attenborough guiding visitors through a tour of the exhibit. Along the way, several computer generated creatures from the world’s distant past make appearances. Other uses of the technology allow visitors to handle virtual specimens, such as baby dinosaurs, or participate in interactive quizzes with other visitors.
The use of augmented reality has enabled the museum to present the general public with a way to experience history in a way they could not have anticipated. AR is changing the way people see the world and, in the future, may become an integral part in how we interact with our environment.
