Ayala Museum brings Philippine history into the future with AR technology

Ayala Museum, in partnership with The Harish and Johnsen Group, takes one more step into the digital age by introducing a dynamic 3D Augmented Reality (AR) feature to supplement its popular “Diorama Experience of Philippine History” exhibition. It’s the first 3D-on-3D AR feature offered by a museum in the Philippines and Asia.

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The dioramas, depicting iconic scenes in Philippine history from the pre-colonial period to self-determination, are part of the inaugural exhibition of Ayala Museum when it opened in 1974. They were designed to be a comprehensive visual narrative of the story of the Filipino people in a way that compresses extensive research on the events, architecture, costumes, technologies, and topographies of the times they represent.

“An iconic part of childhood for many a Filipino thanks to school tours and family visits to the museum, the Dioramas were envisioned to be a compelling way to tell the rich history of our country,” said Mariles Gustilo, senior director for Arts and Culture of Ayala Foundation, Inc.

Through the new AR feature conceptualized, designed, and developed by Harish and Johnsen, further supported by Globe, Avida Land, and Power Mac Center, users can now rent special AR units in Ayala Museum to use within the Diorama exhibition. When the device is placed in front of one of eighteen AR-ready dioramas, these historic scenes will be brought to life by exciting animations, realistic sound effects, and voice narrations.

“We’ve given the Diorama exhibit a whole new experience, not only by combining but actually bridging the gap between traditional arts and sophisticated science. We are not just revolutionizing the experience but we are actually witnessing evolution unwrap itself right before our very eyes, at the palm of our hands—literally. And it is here at the museum.” said Shirah Ragos Segarra, vice president of The Harish and Johnsen Group.

Production of the Diorama Experience AR application was further made possible by the support of brands aligned with the objectives of the project. Globe saw this rich experience as a unique and meaningful way of catering to the digital and increasingly mobile lifestyle of its subscribers. Likewise, Avida Land believes that advocating these one-of-a-kind experiences with art, Philippine history, and culture will ultimately add to the vibrant lifestyle that comes with residing in any of its properties.

The new dynamic 3D AR feature was publicly launched on June 12 during the 117th anniversary of Philippine independence. During the day of the event, Globe postpaid subscribers were treated with free Ayala Museum admission and were able to download a free version of the AR application. Meanwhile, prepaid users were afforded huge discounts in entrance fees. Avida Land also participated in the public launch by providing free AR-ready devices for guests to try out the museum’s latest mobile feature.

Visitors may now rent units for P95 at the Ayala Museum ticket counter to try the AR feature.