Following on from the success of award-winning app Streetmuseum™, the Museum of London has joined forces with AETN UK’s flagship channel HISTORY™ to develop a new app which gives users the opportunity to see Roman London as it was 2,000 years ago.
Streetmuseum Londinium will direct users to locations across London where they can immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and remains of Roman life. At the city’s peak in AD 120 approximately 25,000 Romans lived in London, leaving much behind to explore today.
Users can digitally excavate Roman artefacts, including leather bikini briefs and an ancient manicure set, which tell the stories of life in Londinium. Using their finger to dig and by blowing on their iPhone, users will gradually reveal the objects where they were first found in the capital.
Key Roman sites in London, such as the amphitheatre at Guildhall, will be brought to life through augmented reality video – produced by HISTORY – which will overlay scenes of Roman London against today’s modern backdrop. Soundscapes will also allow users to listen to the hustle and bustle of the forum or the sounds of ritual incantation at the Temple of Mithras.
All these immersive experiences will be brought together on a new map of Roman London – compiled and produced by Museum of London Archaeology – which will be superimposed on a modern map of the capital, allowing users to see how the city has changed and grown over the last 2,000 years.
Vicky Lee, Marketing Manager for the Museum of London, said: “The success of Streetmuseum has shown that museums can bring history to life in new and exciting ways, taking their collections to the streets rather than relying on visitors coming to them. Now, with the launch of Streetmuseum Londinium, we’re going a step further, allowing iPhone users to unearth evidence of Roman London as if discovering these artefacts for the first time.”
Kiera Doherty, Digital Marketing Manager from AETN UK, added: “HISTORY is an exciting TV brand that brings history alive in people’s everyday life in entertaining and engaging ways. Through Streetmuseum Londinium, we wanted to inspire people to know more about their city and to have fun with history.”
To celebrate the app’s launch, HISTORY is dedicating a whole day of programming to Roman history with Roman Empire Sunday, taking place on Sunday 31 July, 6am – 8pm, with the premiere of How Nero Saved Rome at 7pm. Key programmes includes Roman Invasion of Britain The True Story, Gladiator, Gladiators: Back from the Dead, Cities of the Underworld, Rome’s Hidden Empire, Colosseum: Rome’s Arena of Death, Rome’s Lost Legion and How Nero Saved Rome. Visit http://www.history.co.uk/ for the full schedule.
Both Streetmuseum and Streetmuseum Londinium were produced by creative agency Brothers and Sisters. Kevin Brown, Digital Director for Brothers and Sisters, said of the new project, “The new application builds on Streetmuseum’s ground-breaking innovation with the introduction of experiential firsts: a unique augmented reality video experience and virtual artefact excavations. Once again, we’ve redefined the parameters of experiencing history beyond the traditional audio tour or exhibition, giving users a taste of Roman London, either on location or from the comfort of their own home.”
Launched in May 2010, the original Streetmuseum brings the Museum of London’s extensive art and photographic collections to the world, guiding users to over 200 sites across London where hidden histories of the city dramatically appear.
Users can look through their phones and see the past emerge, locked as an overlay across the present scene. These can be viewed as ghostly alignments, or the archive images can be brought up and explored in detail, along with information about the Museum’s photographs and paintings. So far 200,000 people have downloaded Streetmuseum worldwide, from Argentina to New Zealand.
Streetmuseum Londinium will be free to download for iPhones and iPads worldwide from 25 July 2011. Visit www.museumoflondon.org.uk/apps for more information.
Streetmuseum is available internationally and is free to download on iTunes and Android Market.
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Notes to Editors
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For more information and images please contact, or 0207 8145511. Debra Johnson, Head of Communications, AETN UK, or 0207 032 6446 or 07557 255 767. Helen Kimber, New Business Director at or 07970 163232
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The Museum of London, the Museum of London Docklands and the Museum of London Archaeology seek to inspire a passion for London. For further information visit http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/
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The Museums are open daily 10am – 6pm and are FREE to all.
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HISTORY is currently available via Sky channel 529 and on Virgin Media channel 234.
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HISTORY first launched in the UK in November 1, 1995 and it is currently available in over 390 million TV households, in over 150 countries, in more than 30 languages worldwide, HISTORY is the world’s leading broadcaster of historical entertainment. For more information please visit www.history.co.uk, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/HISTORYUK and become a fan on Facebook.
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HISTORY makes history more relevant and entertaining by taking a fresh look at everything that makes us who we are. With compelling stories told through new perspectives and vivid reconstructions, its high quality programmes brings history to life; thrusting you into the action, and challenging your perceptions of what history is. HISTORY will entertain and engage you, connecting you to a reality like no other.
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Brothers and Sisters is one of the UK’s fastest growing agencies, recently ranked one of the top 50 agencies in the UK. With a portfolio of clients including Sky Sports, Sky1 and The Sun. The agency boasts a 50-strong team, including in-house TV production and post-production, print and digital experts and facilities. For more information, please visit http://www.brothersandsisters.co.uk/
