10 ideas for attracting new audiences to your archaeological site with Augmented Reality and 3D

Archaeology is a fascinating discipline that allows us to plunge into the past to discover the remains of civilizations more or less ancient. To make the experience of visiting an archaeological site even more immersive and captivating, the use of digital technologies and 3D could be the ideal solution. In this article, we present ten ideas adapted to your archaeological site using digital technologies, inspired by the latest advances in the field.

And as a bonus, we've got a few ideas to help you make your archaeological and historical site accessible using digital technologies.

Augmented reality allows visitors to see the past come to life before their very eyes. Thanks to mobile applications, visitors can superimpose virtual elements onto their real environment. For example, by simply pointing their device's camera at ruins and remains, they can see 3D reconstructions of the buildings and structures once present on the site. This offers an immersive and interactive experience, giving visitors a better understanding of what the site looked like at the time. For example, at ALESIA, the main archaeological site of the Gallo-Roman city offers immersive augmented reality views that change with the seasons. Tours also offer more "technical" views to help understand its architecture.

• See the example of augmented visits to Alesia, the 4 seasons

Virtual reality offers an even more immersive experience, allowing visitors to project themselves directly into the past. Using virtual reality headsets, visitors can virtually explore ancient structures and vanished landscapes. They can walk through the streets of a Roman city, visit ancient houses or even attend religious ceremonies. This allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the history of the site and better understand the daily life of the time.

With advances in 3D technology, it is now possible to create realistic virtual tours of archaeological sites. Visitors can explore every nook and cranny of the site, zooming in on details and even interacting with certain virtual elements. These virtual tours can be integrated into the archaeological site's website, enabling visitors from all over the world to discover the site without physically visiting it.

The Haut Bécherel archaeological site, near Dinan, offers visitors a room equipped with virtual reality headsets.

Mobile applications offer a wealth of possibilities for making a visit to an archaeological site more interactive and educational. Visitors can download an app specially designed for the site, which will provide them with detailed information on the various elements of the site. They can also take part in interactive games, solve puzzles and answer questions to learn more about the site. Mobile apps can also include augmented or virtual reality features to offer an even more immersive experience.

An exciting way to discover an archaeological site is to offer augmented guided tours. Thanks to mobile applications, visitors can explore the site while superimposing virtual elements in augmented reality. For example, by pointing their smartphone at a ruin, they can see a 3D reconstruction of the building in its heyday. This allows visitors to imagine what the site looked like at the time and better understand its history. Alsace Bossue, for example, offers an app for discovering the archaeological site of a Gallo-Roman villa.

Geocaching is an increasingly popular activity that combines technology and discovery. Using GPS coordinates, you can hide (virtual) objects or (virtual) clues on your archaeological site and invite visitors to find them using their smartphone or tablet. This modern treasure hunt lets visitors discover your site in a fun and interactive way, while learning about its history and archaeological features. You can also add riddles and questions to make the experience even more captivating.

For example, at an archaeological site where artifacts have been discovered, visitors could use an app to scan objects and reveal hidden information. They could also take part in treasure-hunting games, where they have to find virtual artifacts hidden around the site. These superimposed augmented reality games add a playful dimension to a visit to the archaeological site, while stimulating visitors' interest and curiosity.

If your archaeological site is part of a network of sites in a larger area, you can develop a multisite application that allows visitors to discover all the sites in the network. This app can provide detailed information about each site, suggested tour itineraries, interactive games and augmented reality features for each location. This will enable visitors to plan their visit more efficiently and take full advantage of the entire network of sites.

The Département du Puy de Dôme is offering an application covering several archaeological sites, including Gergovie. Each site offers reconstructions and historical decipherments. The Gergovie site also offers a game where you can win tickets to the Musée de la Bataille de Gergovie.

360° augmented reality offers visitors a totally immersive experience by superimposing virtual elements onto their real environment. Imagine yourself strolling through an ancient Roman amphitheater, as you see bleachers packed with spectators, gladiators fighting in the arena and lions roaring. Thanks to this technology, visitors can relive history and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the era. What's more, immersive storytelling guides visitors through captivating tales. Thanks to augmented reality and virtual reality, they can be transported back in time and discover the events that took place on the site. For example, the archeological site of the Temple of Mars at Haut-Bécherel offers the story of a religious celebration and sacrifice with animated 360° views.

What's more, it's essential to enable visitors to share their experiences on social networks. By integrating social networking features into the app or website, visitors can post photos and videos of their visit, arousing the interest and curiosity of friends and family. This also enables the archaeological site to gain visibility and attract new visitors.

At Alesia, visitors are encouraged to share their experience using "Snapchat"-style filters at the end of the tour. They can play the role of a Roman emperor or actor.

Interactive mediation and educational games are powerful tools for imparting knowledge to young visitors in a fun and engaging way. Guided tours can be enriched with tablets or smartphones that provide additional information about the objects on display. Educational games can also be developed for younger visitors, enabling them to learn while having fun.

For example, the MuséoParc Alésia offers seven age-appropriate archaeology techniques. They can discover and handle the tools used by archaeologists, explore the work of an archaeologist with a digital excavation tray, reconstruct pottery and learn about archaeozoology. These interactive activities make a visit to the site more stimulating and memorable, while promoting learning and understanding.

Escape games are an ideal activity for Teenagers and Adults. Escape games have become extremely popular in recent years. Why not offer an escape game on your archaeological site? Visitors will have to solve riddles and find clues to escape from an evil spell or a story specially designed for the occasion. This type of activity is ideal for teenagers and adults looking for unique and stimulating experiences. Using digital technology, you can integrate elements of augmented reality or virtual reality to make the experience even more immersive.

Alesia is offering"Furie d'Alésia", the first "Ancient Punk" game to be played on site. You have 90 minutes to experience a captivating and fantastic story that plunges you into Gallo-Roman religious beliefs.

In addition to tours for families and individual visitors, archaeological museums also offer enriching experiences for groups and schools. Thanks to the TOGETHER! solution, museum guides can energize group visits with interactive itineraries and incentives for active participation. Participants explore archaeological sites with enthusiasm, learning in a playful way and asking pertinent questions. This interactive approach makes sightseeing tours for groups even more captivating, and arouses the curiosity of visitors, whether they're history buffs or simply curious about the past.

And as a bonus, have you thought about making your archaeological site and museum accessible using digital technologies?

In conclusion, digital technology and augmented reality offer numerous possibilities for enhancing the visitor experience at archaeological sites. Using mobile applications, virtual tours, interactive games and immersive experiences, archaeological sites can be transformed into genuine tourist destinations. These innovations make it possible to preserve and transmit our cultural heritage in an interactive and captivating way. So don't wait any longer and immerse yourself in the fascinating history of our ancestors, thanks to digital and 3D technology!