The Unfiltered History Tour is a secret tour of the British Museum’s stolen artefacts via Augmented Reality. However, instead of adding dog ears to a selfie, the existing technology was re-engineered to scan and identify life-sized 3D artefacts in differing light conditions throughout the day, to showcase first-ever visual depictions of scenes of colonial crime without the Museum’s knowledge.

When visitors scan the museum’s stolen artefacts, geo-located filters are activated. They hear native experts narrate the true histories of how they were stolen, as first-ever visual depictions of scenes of crime form a subversive, contextual overlay over the artefact using Augmented Reality.

While the British Museum’s narrative portrayed the colonies as helpless in the face of British aggression; AR in smartphones were used for the first time ever, to tell history from the perspective of the colonies, as formidable foes who fought to save their cultural treasures.

Implementation:

For young Britons to appreciate this untold side of history, authenticity was key. We collaborated with relevant native experts to present a side of history never told before, using Augmented Reality to bypass the Museum.

The Instagram filters were developed by a 100-person strong team working remotely for 18 months across 10 timezones. A local team in London anonymously gathered data using LiDAR technology.

Technicians accounted for changing light conditions inside the museum by developing an Instagram filter based on real-time weather to dynamically adapt to the changing environment at the museum, in a first of its kind Instagram Filter that blends satellite data with Augmented Reality.

Timeline

Launch: December 2021.

Placement

Instagram Augmented Reality filters to be scanned by visitors at the British Museum, through their phones.

Scale

Audiences around the world can partake in immersive audio-visual experiences and extended podcasts hosted on The Unfiltered History Tour microsite.