Cahokia Mounds now offers augmented reality – Alton Telegraph

COLLINSVILLE — A new augmented reality (AR) experience of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is now available.

“Visitors will be able to experience Cahokia Mounds as never before with cutting-edge technology,” said Cahokia Mounds site superintendent Lori Belknap. “A limited number of iPads are available in the Interpretive Center for visitors to rent for $15.”

Cahokia Mounds was the center of the North American mound-building culture, reaching its height by about C.E. 1200. However, within 200 years the city and surrounding villages were largely abandoned for unknown reasons.

Today about 70 mounds ranging from Monk’s Mound, or the Temple Mound, to many smaller mounds cover the 2,200-acre park.

The new interpretive experience — five years in the making — is currently available to Apple users with an Android version coming soon. Users with an Apple device can download “Cahokia AR Tour” in the App Store for $4.99, which will be used to support Cahokia Mounds programs.  

“Once the app is downloaded to your device, visit Cahokia Mounds and begin your tour at the Monks Mound parking lot where the first ‘Waypoint’ can be found,” said Belknap. “These Waypoints are unique images mounted to concrete blocks and will launch the app once scanned.”

There are six Waypoints on the Monks Mound tour, as well as additional content about the culture and artifacts discovered and interpreted at Cahokia Mounds. Visitors with the app will see the Grand Plaza as it appeared 1,000 years ago, the Palisade as it once stood, and the exterior and interior of the large temple that stood on top of Monks Mound through the lens of their device.

The Cahokia AR Tour application was developed and produced by the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society and Schwartz and Associates Creative of St. Louis, with two grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information, call 618-344-9221 or 618-346-5160. 

Source: https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Cahokia-Mounds-now-offers-augmented-reality-16666934.php