NEW ORLEANS — Through a partnership with local artist Marcus Brown, Gray Line New Orleans will debut three interactive augmented reality experiences as part of its Ghost & Spirits Walking Tour. The special tours begin Oct. 1.
Brown, a local artist whose work includes national and international exhibits and performances, has created augmented reality sculptures with interactive multimedia elements. The three-dimensional experiences, which can be viewed through certain smartphones and tablets, explore the Great Fire of New Orleans, Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and the Yellow Fever of 1853. And zombies.
“I hope to give a glimpse of the nightmares and treasures of New Orleans. Our past, present and future have the authentic stuff dreams are made of. Something no other city has,” said Brown in a press release. “I started working with Gray Line to further explore what’s possible in the world of augmented reality in the French Quarter.”
Brown’s interactive augmented reality experience titled “The Fires of 1788 and 1794” helps illustrate what a New Orleans citizen would have seen during these great fires that ravaged the city. In the “Zombie Origins” experience, Brown imagines the “almost dead” being buried or stacked with the dead during the epidemic.
“When we learned about Marcus’ most recent AR project on view in New York City, we knew we wanted to bring his creative talents to our Ghosts & Spirits walking tour,” said Gray Line New Orleans Director of Marketing Deidra Edwards. “The addition of these three new experiences right at the start of spooky season makes this a must-see for locals and tourists in October.”
The Ghost & Spirits Walking Tour includes stops at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Lalaurie Mansion, Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral and the banks of the Mississippi River. The augmented reality experiences are compatible with iPhone or iPad. Alternative viewing options are available for Android users.
The Ghost & Spirits Walking Tour starts daily at 7 p.m. and departs from 400 Toulouse Street.
