Irkutsk became the pilot city for the Virtual History project, which uses augmented reality to show on a smartphone screen what city landmarks looked like in the past. Through the Historypin app, residents and tourists can compare old photos with the current view of sites, including buildings that no longer exist, and read historical notes. QR codes for downloading the app are placed at central stops in the city, and archival photos for the project were provided by the Irkutsk History Museum.
Irkutsk has become the pilot city where the “Virtual History” project is launching, based on augmented reality technology that makes it possible to display the appearance of cities in historical retrospect on a smartphone screen. The project is being implemented by the administration of the city of Irkutsk and MTS.Residents of Irkutsk and visitors to the city can see on their mobile phone screens what the city’s historical landmarks looked like many years ago using the Historypin app downloaded to a smartphone and mobile internet.
Historical images are available for viewing not only of existing objects, but also of buildings that are no longer on the city map. Moreover, by pointing the camera at an object, one can see an archival image overlaid on the modern view of the object. Historical information can also be displayed on the screen. Archival photographs for the project were provided by the Museum of the History of the City of Irkutsk.
Posters with QR codes have been placed at the city’s central bus stops; by scanning them, one can download the Historypin mobile app and take a virtual tour of Irkutsk.
On October 4, a presentation of the project was held for representatives of Irkutsk’s leading media outlets.
“Our city has a very rich history, which has left us many outstanding architectural monuments. Some of them have survived almost unchanged, some, unfortunately, have not. Innovative augmented reality technology has made it possible to restore and present the authentic appearance of historical objects in retrospect. I am sure both tourists and residents of Irkutsk will appreciate the project. And Irkutsk residents will not only learn something new about their city, but will also be able to take part in the project by supplementing it with photographs from personal archives and family albums. I would like to emphasize that the project will continue to develop. Gradually, the gallery of interesting historical objects of Irkutsk that can be seen on a mobile device will expand,” said Sergey Kozerod, director of the MTS branch in the Irkutsk Region.
“The administration of Irkutsk is currently carrying out active work aimed at increasing the city’s tourist potential and improving the quality of service for Irkutsk’s visitors. The development of tourism and business activity in this area is one of the priorities of the city’s development strategy. Now tourists, by uploading old photos of Irkutsk, can see how the city has changed and touch its past. And most importantly, this can be done instantly, using a phone and the internet. We are grateful to MTS for providing modern technologies that will work to enhance Irkutsk’s tourist image,” noted Deputy Mayor of Irkutsk Dmitry Razumov.
Based on materials from the press service of the administration of the city of Irkutsk