In 2020, for the first time in history, screens became our primary window into the world. Brands responded by trying to bring events online as quickly as possible. But what was missing was the feeling of "being there." A livestream doesn’t replace a live concert.

When COVID-19 closed The Met, we knew we had to do more than create a window inside; we needed to open the digital doors. We brought The Met to life like nobody had ever seen it before.

We created a 360-degree immersive mobile experience: visitors could browse never-before-seen curations, play educational games, and take home some of the world’s most famous art pieces on loan with AR. We gave new meaning and context to some of the world’s most famous art.

Together, Verizon and The Met built a first-of-its-kind museum, supercharged it with 5G, and redefined what it means to be a cultural institution.

We made a 6.1-inch screen more engaging than a 20-foot canvas.

We rendered over 30,000 sq. ft. of museum space into 13 never-before-seen galleries with 46 interactive pieces of art. Using the latest WebAR and WebGL technology, we delivered over two hours of gameplay in immersive 360-degree environments that gave visitors the same incredible feeling of being at the museum. Our 3D designers worked closely with expert Met curators to present artworks with a careful combination of text, visuals, and audio.

The experience was divided into four wings: Nature, Power, Journey, and Home. Each housed multiple galleries with works of art for visitors to explore. Wings had their own unique music, composed specifically to enhance each art experience. Just like The Met, galleries and wings were interconnected for a seamless user flow. The pacing of the virtual walkthrough matched the deliberative nature of the in-person experience. We even accounted for interstitial load pages, which were designed to reinforce a measured pace.

Each interactive piece of art contained an educational game, such as tracing an artist’s brush strokes, developed in close collaboration with the museum’s educational department. These games unlocked artwork for visitors to take home on loan with AR. Like in the real world, only one copy of each piece was available for loan at a time. Unlike the real world, some “AR-t” pieces came to life powered by Verizon 5G. For the first time ever, water splashed out of the frame in Washington Crossing the Delaware and the unicorn from the Middle Ages-era “Unicorn Tapestries” sprung to life in front of visitors’ eyes.

The Met Unframed pushed the boundaries of how we can understand, experience, and appreciate art. And we gave visitors the opportunity to get way closer to art than any docent would allow.