The museum experience is evolving and is no longer limited to audio devices or explanatory signs. Heritage sites can now improve visitor satisfaction by adding an interactive dimension to their visit, characterized by direct participation via a device or interface (often a touchscreen or tablet). But also an immersive dimension, which aims to immerse the visitor in a narrative environment involving technologies such as virtual reality or augmented reality.

For a museum or a site of historical interest, this new approach to cultural visits allows for a lively and striking narrative that strengthens visitor engagement. It also allows for an active, participatory, and engaging approach, which plays a key role in promoting culture, rather than a pedagogy sometimes perceived as linear, top-down, and static.

Histovery, a pioneering company in augmented reality solutions for heritage and culture

Concretely, how can we support the digitalization of cultural institutions and make visits more immersive, interactive, fun, and user-friendly? Histovery addresses these issues with two types of experiences: in-situ tablets (HistoPads) integrating augmented reality ("augmented visits") and traveling exhibitions, also integrating augmented reality ("augmented exhibitions"). Histovery's promise: to transform the visitor experience, from iconic monuments to more modest sites.

This startup was founded in 2014 by Bruno de Sa Moreira and Edouard Lussan, both history enthusiasts. To design its solutions, the company integrates a development studio for immersive augmented reality experiences.

The HistoPad, the tool that modernizes heritage sites and strengthens engagement

Histovery currently offers its HistoPad, its interactive tablet, to around twenty museums and heritage sites in France and internationally (the Conciergerie Palace in Paris, the Citadel of Dinant in Belgium, Colditz Castle in Germany, the Château de Chambord in Loir-et-Cher, La Coupole d'Helfaut in Hauts-de-France, etc.). " Almost all visitors have the tablet in hand during the standard tour of these historical sites. Except at the Château de Chambord and the Alamo in Texas, the tablet is always included in the ticket price ," explains Raphaël Marchou, Director of Development at Histovery.

Once in hand, the tablet opens up a true journey through time. The person handling it has the ability to scan time doors, integrated into the scenography of the places, and thus has access to exclusive multimedia content, such as 3D reconstructions of historical scenes, 360°, animated scenes, cities to explore... The content is available in several languages to adapt to an international audience, and can also be appreciated by people with disabilities (visually impaired, hearing impaired, people with reduced mobility, and other disabilities). For the institution with which the contract is signed, Histovery guarantees the updating of the content to adapt to the physical scenography of the place or to the new periods of History that the cultural establishment would like to highlight. This is the assurance of not ending up with a digital device that quickly becomes obsolete.

“ The HistoPad invites visitors to delve into the past and see the rooms of a monument as they were at the time, to encounter important historical figures associated with the site. It also allows them to virtually manipulate objects from the collections, recontextualize them within their historical environment, and connect with them more deeply than they could behind a glass case. Thanks to this service and technology, which enhance the educational and engaging aspects of the visit, we increase visitor satisfaction, as they previously struggled to imagine what the monument might have looked like back then, ” summarizes Raphaël Marchou, who emphasizes the ergonomics, ease of use, and intuitiveness of the HistoPad, particularly for heritage sites that still rely solely on traditional methods of cultural mediation. He also notes an increase in visit duration, a positive effect on visitor numbers and loyalty for the cultural sites that are equipped with it.

A concrete example of the HistoPad's application: at Colditz Castle, in German Saxony, the tool recounts the escape attempts of Allied officers, where they were held prisoner during the Second World War. Protected by the Geneva Convention, they had little risk of being injured or killed while trying to escape, and therefore made multiple attempts, with varying degrees of success. Visitors are then immersed in scenes in several locations throughout the castle, following the officers via the tablet as a camera would, and witnessing the various escape attempts.

Augmented exhibition, an innovation in the cultural tourism sector

In its on-site configuration, the device is integrated into the location year-round, allowing for on-site interaction. But the company founded by Bruno De Sa Moreira is also developing its service as a traveling exhibition. This entirely digital format, a first for cultural tourism, aims to transform the visitor experience into an exhibition that can be deployed in various locations such as museums, monuments, or exhibition spaces. The exhibition is structured around a lightweight or modular scenography, incorporating projection areas, interactive kiosks, and minimalist sets. Histopads are also distributed to visitors via dedicated stations, eliminating the need for original objects to be present on-site. To guarantee the historical accuracy of the content, Histovery works with a committee of historians, curators, and experts tasked with validating each reconstruction. The exhibition " Notre-Dame de Paris, the Augmented Exhibition", presenting 850 years of history of the famous cathedral, has thus travelled to 19 cities: from Washington DC, to Seoul, from Shanghai to London, from Dubai to Berlin…

International success, continued expansion

Building on its international success (the start-up began its international expansion in 2019 at the National Museum of the US Air Force, also known as the DDay Museum and located in Riverside, Ohio, with an expanded exhibition aimed at transporting visitors to the heart of the Battle of Normandy in 1944), Histovery continues to build relationships, particularly with American institutions, and aims to continue expanding in this market (the company has therefore opened a subsidiary there).

In this context, the Histovery teams are also developing a number of content pieces to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, as part of a major exhibition to be held in the United States (" American Revolution, the Augmented Exhibition "). This exhibition will immerse visitors between 1767 and 1789 to discover 15 key events from the historical period leading up to American independence. Scheduled for 2026, it will visit 10 cities that same year and continue its tour until 2031, reaching all 50 states. " Thanks to artificial intelligence , we bring historical paintings to life, featuring King Charles III of England, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. While there was a strong interest in Notre-Dame, the strategy remains primarily focused on purely American subjects ," explains Raphaël Marchou. Much of this content is produced using Unreal Engine 5, the innovative company readily using technologies from video games to adapt them to cultural tourism.

A successful start to Raphaël Marchou's market entry strategy was made possible, in part, by Histovery's participation in the South by Southwest festival with the delegation led by Bpifrance and La French Touch . This annual event, held in Austin, Texas, celebrates the convergence of creative industries and technology, and is absolutely essential for innovative companies looking to understand this market, forge strategic business relationships with local partners, and receive support from French representatives on the ground. " South by Southwest is a must-attend event. It's a central meeting and discussion hub in a very dynamic environment, with potential clients and other companies. During our participation, the support was excellent and tailored to our needs. Rather than going alone, the advantage of the delegation is that it fosters strong connections among the participating companies, who remain very close-knit while there." “We also participated in the Cultur’Export USA and ICC Immersion Korea programs, which are also very rich, very targeted and interesting for us ,” says Raphaël Marchou.

The Histovery company has benefited from the support of the Tech&Touch fund

The Tech & Touch fund, deployed by Bpifrance and La French Touch, is a seed capital and venture capital fund for startups in the cultural and creative industries. Financed as part of the France 2030 plan and managed by the General Secretariat for Investment, in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Culture, the Banque des Territoires, and the IFCIC, it invests in companies combining creativity and technological innovation. It makes direct minority investments (Pre-Seed to Series C) in cultural and creative startups and indirect investments (funds of funds). Tech & Touch covers various cultural sectors in France, including transformation and innovation issues such as AI, VR, blockchain, and Industry 4.0.