The VISTA AR partnership has been creating some exciting new experiences for Exeter Cathedral, despite the lockdown
Sometimes the closure of a site has a positive side. In this case, despite the silence and apparent immutability of the great building, the Cathedral and VISTA teams are bustling behind the scenes. The extra time allowed us to develop a bilingual (English and French) version of the tablet-based audio-visual tour. The voice-over recordings are currently being integrated into the device. Several voices punctuate this tour, including that of the Dean of the Cathedral, who was delighted to take part in the experience.
This immersive tour presents the main artefacts of the building, including those hidden or difficult to access. Like a traditional audio tour, the visitor will be invited to follow the order indicated on the map. The difference is the insertion of digital animations during the tour, such as the representation of the Minstrels’ Gallery, as we can see in this short clip from Bournemouth University:
Points of interest will be placed on the visual representation of artefacts and animations, opening an audio file with one click to provide clarification on details which might otherwise go unseen by visitors.
For those hungry to learn more, the guide includes a ‘Discover more’ section giving a more extensive historical description. But the choice remains in the hands of the visitor, who may prefer to be simply carried along by the story, which is narrated by a fictional 15th century pilgrim woman.