Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum in Bucharest has launched an augmented reality (AR) app allowing visitors to touch replicas of items in the museum’s collection.

The app, called Touch My Hair, was developed by Augmented Space Agency. It is part of a project aiming to redefine how the public interacts with the exhibited items.

“Most visitors want to touch the objects, which is only natural if we consider the need to learn by touching,” the museum explained. As heritage items need to be protected, and any contact with them is forbidden, the museum has developed replicas of the items in its collection. Called ‘shadows,’ these items can be explored through the AR app.

“We are introducing a novel cultural education concept, a more relaxed visiting experience, where learning by touching is allowed and encouraged through the use of ‘the shadows’. The public, especially the young ones, will discover an interactive, friendly museum,” the institution said.

(Illustration: Muzeul Naţional de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa" on Facebook)

simona@romania-insider.com