Why it matters: Ipswich is the first town in the UK to offer this type of immersive, street-based augmented reality experience free to the public, positioning the town as a leader in digital innovation as it prepares for its City of Culture bid.
The details: Dozens of people braved cold and rain to watch the first pair being unveiled at a launch event on Friday, 9 January in Christchurch Park, with others across Ipswich uncovered soon afterwards. The immersive devices allow users to travel back in time to view Victorian Ipswich, with images and sounds that shift throughout the day and into the evening.
The technology requires no smartphone, downloads or sign-ups and has been designed to be accessible for users of all ages and abilities, with eyepieces set at different heights.
The six locations and their themes are:
Christchurch Park – 1,000 Years of Tranquillity
Ipswich Cornhill – Heart of a Victorian Town
Buttermarket – Centuries of Trade and Street Life
Pauls Silo – The Head of the Dock
Customs House – Gateway to a Thriving Port
James Hehir Building – Site of Medieval Shipbuilding
What they're saying: Councillor Neil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: "Unique content has been developed with generous donations of time, resources and expertise, and we thank them all for their contributions.
"Our partners at the AR/VR technology agency Zubr have been involved in the project at every step, providing both the hardware and software, designing the content, and ensuring these amazing virtual reality binoculars are a fantastic addition to Ipswich.
"They currently let you glimpse a part of our past, but new content will be added over time – maybe even letting us look into the future."
Stuart Grimwade, creator of the Ipswich Maritime Trust's Image Archive, said: "Ipswich is fortunate that in Victorian times there were local pioneer photographers whose early images have survived to give us a window on their world, so that we can use them now in digital ways that they couldn't have imagined. The project is a wonderful way of bringing the town's history to life."
Miranda Acres, co-founder of Ipswich.love, said: "I think the project is really fantastic. It's just another great thing for our town. So many amazing things are going on, and it's just another thing to add to that whole portfolio, really."
She added, "If you're gonna sit on the sofa and do nothing, then the town is going to be horrendous. But if you get out there and be a part of it, interact, and you find out things, and you explore, and you discover using things like this, then actually your town becomes alive to you."
Mel Willis, Communications Manager at Ipswich Central, said: "It shows that we're a forward-looking town, that we value our culture, we value our history, we value our heritage, and we want to celebrate it, as a big draw for the town."
The bigger picture: The project forms part of Digital Ipswich, funded through the UK Government's Towns Fund, and builds on a growing programme of digital placemaking. Last October saw the successful switch-on of the first-ever Portal in the United Kingdom in Ipswich's historic Cornhill. This followed the summer launch of a third AR self-guided walking trail, The Ipswich Journey of Words, available for free on the Go Jauntly app.
Photographs from the Ipswich Maritime Trust's Image Archive helped inform the content, whilst members of the Historic Towns Trust, the town's Tourist Guide Association and other knowledgeable members of the public shared their expertise to guide the designs and keep them accurate.
For context: The launch of the binoculars came on the same day that the town launched its campaign to become the 2029 City of Culture, a competition to win £10m to invest in a year-long programme of events and culture-led regeneration. Along with many major employers, Ipswich.co.uk has backed the bid and committed to giving it its full support.
The bottom line: The binoculars bring Ipswich's heritage and history to life for residents and visitors alike. An interactive map showing where the binoculars can be found, together with information on each location and its historical context, is available at https://allaboutipswich.com/digital-ipswich/.
