Incorporating screens and technology in parks and nature centers can enhance visitor experiences. Digital tools like augmented reality (AR) and 360-degree videos to create virtual realities (VR) can offer new ways to interpret our natural and cultural resources. 

Technology as an Interpretive Tool, Not a Toy

Consider technology integrated into exhibits/signage to showcase experiences that are rare, inaccessible, or ephemeral. The decision to use digital tools should be driven by the goal of enhancing visitor understanding and creating deeper connections with nature or history. These are tools not toys; this is interpretation, not “interpretainment.” If we are going to ask our visitors to spend time on screens, we need to be intentional with why.

Don’t:

• engage visitors with an AR pine cone when they can hold a real pine cone.

• create a VR pine forest when they can step outside and be in a real pine forest.

• be enticed into using an AI interpreter for personalized learning when you have a ready and willing volunteer force that can do the same. 

Do:

• bring a Monarch caterpillar to life with an AR 3D model.

• transport visitors to the winter home of the Monarchs with VR.

• share ephemeral experiences from your site visitors can only see seasonally. 

Looking Inward: Sharing 3D Models and Augmenting Reality

One effective approach is using 3D models and AR experiences to bring natural and cultural resources to life. Imagine this -  as visitors read an interpretive exhibit or sign, they’re invited to scan a code with their phones. As they do, a Monarch Butterfly flies within their screen. They rotate their phone screen like a viewfinder, watching the monarch fly through the nature center. They zoom-in to see the scales of its wings. It’s an experience they never forget that is only possible through technology. 

Here’s one approach to leveraging 3D Models and AR experiences on a budget:

• Find Existing 3D Models - Platforms like Sketchfab provide a lot of great existing 3D models. Some are free, most are reasonably priced for the one time download, plus the ongoing costs for displaying the models through an AR code reader.  

• Create your own 3D models:

• Phone Scanners for Small Objects: Apps like Polycam can use smartphones to scan your small artifacts or natural items turning them into 3D models.

• Drone Scanning for Large Objects: Drones equipped with photogrammetry can create detailed 3D models of larger objects like landscapes or historical structures.

• Work with an Artist: Collaborate with a 3D artist to create custom models, especially for culturally significant or extinct objects.

• Displaying The 3D Models - Just like QR codes can open a website on your phone, AR Codes can launch an AR experience with just what’s in your visitor’s pocket. Expect to budget $1,000 per year for these through Sketchfab or AR-Code.com.

Looking Outward: Creating Virtual Realities with 360-Degree Videos

360-degree videos offer an immersive way to transport visitors to places that would be otherwise inaccessible. Simple QR codes turn the visitor's phone into an immersive environment, creating VR experiences on a budget. For example, this 360 video of the winter home of the monarch butterflies provides a captivating experience of one of the world’s most magical experiences that might otherwise be too abstract to appreciate.

Here’s a simple plan that could work for you:

• Find existing “360-degree videos” on YouTube and other sites that are relevant to your interpretation. Here’s some inspiration from free, 360-videos available to you now:

• The winter home of the monarch butterflies

• The journey of water around the world. 

• The nightly emergence of bats from their caves. 

• Creating custom 360-degree videos can further enhance interpretive experiences. Affordable cameras like the Insta360 ONE X2 or GoPro MAX can capture high-quality immersive videos. Upload them to public YouTube pages for sharing with visitors at home or in your exhibits. Ideas for 360 Content could include:

• Seasonal Changes: Show the transformation of a park throughout the year.

• Wildlife Behavior: Document unique wildlife moments like nesting or migrations.

• Guided Tours: Create immersive tours of significant natural or cultural sites.

• Sharing 360 Videos - simple QR codes in your exhibits or signs can bring these 360 videos to life on your visitors’ phones, creating the feeling of a virtual reality. 

Conclusion

When used thoughtfully, technology such as 3D models and 360-degree videos can greatly enhance interpretation by sharing otherwise inaccessible experiences. By “looking inward” to create detailed 3D models and “looking outward” to capture immersive natural phenomena, nature centers and parks can offer unique, engaging experiences that foster a deeper connection to the natural world.