Snap, Musée du Louvre Museum give Snapchat users access to lost treasures of Egypt using AR; check how to use it

Snap’s AR Studio and Musée du Louvre, the iconic museum in Paris, have collaborated to launch a series of interactive educational AR experiences called ‘Egypt Augmented’. It will allow visitors to experience the long-lost treasures and masterpieces of Ancient Egypt. As per the company, these experiences will reveal the ‘secrets of Egyptian Antiquities’. This feature will be available in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities and in the Cour Carré of the Musée du Louvre.

Snap Inc. added that the 3D reconstructions of missing elements, virtual restitution of original pigments and the creation of masks were designed by the AR Studio in close collaboration with curators of Department of Egyptian Antiquities and are based on a corpus of archives and references. These experiences are free for all the visitors.

The AR experience includes three major masterpieces that will be available at the museum for one year: The Naos of Amasis, The Chamber of Ancestors and The Dendera Zodiac. Visitors can simply scan a QR code placed on the cartel of artwork in the museum with their smartphones or via Snapchat camera, to trigger the AR experience that will reveal shapes, materials, colours and decorations of selected works that have disappeared over time.

How to use 

This AR lens of ‘Egypt Augmented’ is also available for all Snapchat users across the world. All they need to do is follow these simple steps.

1. Open the Snapchat app
2. Select the Face Lens called “Egypt Augmented – The Masks” in the lens caraousel
3. Use the front camera to try out different Ancient Egyptian masks
4. You can tap on “Learn More” to find out details about artifacts by taking you to the Louvre website

In an exclusive conversation with Tech Today’s Aayush Ailawadi, in Paris, Antoine Gilbert, Manager of the AR Studio stated, “We built an AR Studio in Paris for two main reasons. The first reason is that, in Paris, there is a large cultural scene, and it was a good match to start in Paris to work with cultural institution artist and, musicians at a larger scale. We also have a great community of developers and creators in Paris and the best animation school.”

Gilbert added, “We have many important cultural institutions in Paris, like the Louvre. We got to figure out how can AR work with artists and propose a new type of artistic experiences accordingly. So, that's why the studio exists here in the first place.”

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