Review of digital projects

Project review

 

Histopad, an interactive experience in augmented reality

 

Especially for the 2015 commemorations of the 500th anniversary of Francis I's coronation, Domaine national de Chambord has produced a digital tablet for visitors to see what Chambord might have looked like five centuries ago, thanks to augmented reality. 

The furnishings have been recreated specially in 3D and arranged in 8 rooms at Château de Chambord by a scientific committee made up of experts in this period, in line with the end of Francis I's reign (1539-1545). Visitors are immersed in this scenery through the screen of their HistoPad, 360 degrees, from the floor to the ceiling. 

  

In 20 of the Château's rooms, the HistoPad also offers additional information in the form of captions, texts, sounds, graphic design and animations to "bring the works to life". 

Kids will also be able to embark on a treasure hunt in search of a virtual object hidden behind each of the "doors of time". 

Designed to create an enjoyable experience for all the family, the Chambord HistoPad is available in twelve languages (French, English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Polish and Korean) so that all nationalities can take part. The Chambord HistoPad will be available for hire at the price of €8 for one tablet, or €20 for three tablets. 

Online:

• HistoPad Chambord : votre premier voyage dans le temps à l'époque de François Ier | Chambord

The King and the salamander, a video game for kids

To mark the 500th anniversary of Francis I's accession to the throne, the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN) is giving 6 to 12 year olds the chance to explore 11 national monuments with a link to Francis I, including château d’Angers, château d’Azay-le-Rideau and château de Talcy.
Since April, the video game "The King and the Salamander" has been available on tablet and online. A second instalment is due out in September with new monuments to explore.
The story goes back over the chronology of events that marked Francis I's reign. Historical facts are presented throughout the game, in which players must carry out a series of quests, collect period objects and solve riddles in different scenes to move forward in their tour of the monument.
 
In this way children will experience the unbelievable adventure of a destiny that changed France through the monuments of the CMN network, and along the way come across such historical figures as Leonardo da Vinci and the Knight Bayard.  

The game can last for 2 or 3 hours. Try out the first mission for free! Embark on the whole adventure for under €5. 

Online:

• Jeu : LE ROI ET LA SALAMANDRE (Centre des monuments nationaux)

Jean Linard, an open-air cathedral: web-documentary

Produced by the Heritage Inventory Directorate of the Centre-Val de Loire Region as part of its data utilisation missions, this web-documentary is not about an aspect of the Loire Valley World Heritage, but it is an initiative that could be borrowed for other heritage sites. 

To find out about Jean Linard's unique artistic creation, visitors or Internet users can choose between a guided tour or an unaccompanied visit: 

• a wealth of illustrations accompany short texts to give insight into this work of art 
• embark on a series of thematic trails around the site and immerse yourself in Jean Linard's work through an array of professional photos and new aerial videos filmed by a drone
• browse the whole site and the showpieces on the interactive map.

Add comments and photos of your own using the collaborative functions.  

Conforming to the accessibility standards in force, the web-documentary can be viewed free of charge on any digital support tool. 

This project scooped 1st prize for Heritage & Innovation(s) organised by the Club Innovation & Culture (CLIC) France and was awarded at the end of the 6th National Culture & Innovation(s) Meetings 2015. 

A presentation to the public is scheduled for Sunday 28 June at La Borne contemporary ceramic centre (Cher). 

Online:

• Accéder au web-documentaire
• 1er Prix Patrimoine & Innovation(s): les 3 gagnants 2015
• Immergez-vous dans l'univers artistique de Jean Linard (1931-2010), à Neuvy-Deux-Clochers (Cher)

Mystery at Adam's house, a fun app!

This digital game for tablets gets kids trying to solve a riddle by interrogating the sculpted figures of the half-timbered house, to work out where the statues of Adam and Eve have disappeared to. 

Winner of the PRI IDEV call for proposals (see below) and conducted by the Angers City of Art and History Department, the project involves designing a demonstrator for Angers in partnership with students from Laval Catholic University of West France, with a view to testing the possibilities of this type of tool in terms of mediation. 

Online:

• Service Ville d’Art et d’Histoire d’Angers

The Loire Pirates, a treasure hunt in the Loire Valley

The Loire Pirates app is a tourist guide listing the sightseeing treasures nestling in the Loire Valley, which invites you to explore them on a treasure hunt. By solving the riddles, you can learn historical snippets or anecdotes about the sites and win keys. With these keys, you can open the treasure chests and enjoy the taste of victory by sampling the local products supplied by local producers. Players are encouraged to make contact with the stakeholders of the local area they are visiting. 

Online:

• piratesdeloire.com
• Le Tourisme de demain: Les Pirates de Loire | TEDxTours

Not forgetting

Loire châteaux architecture through time is a chronological frieze designed by Mission Val de Loire as part of the Loire Châteaux network. 

The  Mémoire site , run by Ciclic, is now accessible on tablets and mobiles. Download it and you can watch more than 9000 old amateur films from the Centre-Val de Loire region. 

Trélazé digital museum  

is an initiative aimed at bringing together information in all formats (texts, photos, videos) on the village's heritage. Work has particularly been carried out on an old matchstick factory that has been turned into social housing, with the collection of personal stories. 

Support tools

PRI IDEV

With support from the Pays de la Loire Region, the Regional Innovation Platform "innovation and design of visitors' experiences" (PRI IDEV) is being coordinated by Fontevraud Abbey and federates some thirty stakeholders including local authorities, tourist sites, businesses, schools and universities. Mission Val de Loire is also a member. 

The PRI IDEV provides partners with a series of tools and services to choose from depending on what you are after: keeping an eye on the most innovative mediation projects and new uses, training, demos, trial runs and more. 

Online:

• www.pri-idev.fr

Ciclic

The Centre-Val de Loire Region has asked the agency Ciclic to implement a support tool in the form of a call for proposals in the field of cultural digital creativity, in order to encourage and boost the number of innovative cultural digital projects in the region. Ciclic is carrying out the artistic and technical expert appraisal and administrative and financial management of the projects submitted. 

This call for proposals has identified general public pilot schemes that are innovative, visible and showcase digital cultural content. 

  

The selection committee met on 17 April 2015 and the results were sent to the applicants in mid May. 

  

Online:

• Appel à projets numériques innovants (Ciclic)