When we were in Gettysburg 2 years ago, I was working on an IT project for work and said, “wouldn’t it be awesome if someone created an Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality Tour of Gettysburg?!” and that, my friends, is exactly what someone did. During our most recent visit in May 2021, I downloaded the Augmented Reality Gettysburg Experience. It is really cool!
The app uses your phone’s camera to create an experience that makes you feel like you are inside the main events of the battle. You must allow the app to access your location services and access to your camera. Based on your location, it will use the the technology of Augmented Reality (AR) to give you the full experience. While standing at Pickett’s Charge, you can move your phone from left to right and see the soldiers start to arrive all around you. There are a few different symbols in the app to indicate various ways you can interact with the app. Sometimes, you can navigate closer to the people who show up in order to get details about the battle. I found it engaging and educational. The best part – it was free!
