Sailing Into the Past: Augmented Reality Brings a Historic Ship to Life
At Reawaken, we’re exploring how augmented reality can turn museum spaces into living, breathing stories. For the National Maritime Museum, we created an AR prototype that transforms a static model sail ship into a vibrant scene—complete with animated sails, a working crew, and interactive effects that transport visitors back to the golden age of sail.
This interactive AR experience uses advanced object detection to instantly recognize the physical ship in the gallery space—no markers or QR codes required. Visitors can simply point a tablet at the ship and watch as it transforms into a bustling, animated scene from maritime history.
Bringing the Ship to Life
Once detected, the ship bursts into motion:
Animated sails billow in a virtual breeze.
A digital crew scurries across the deck, climbing rigging and manning their stations.
Water and environmental effects create the illusion of the ship riding gentle waves.
Tap the screen and hear the boom of cannons, complete with flashes of light and sound effects echoing across the gallery.
This isn’t just AR—it’s a layered sensory experience that blends visuals, motion, and sound to immerse visitors in the age of sail.
Next-Level Realism with Occlusion
To achieve a sense of realism, we developed a digital twin of the sail ship. This virtual model enables occlusion, meaning crew members disappear behind masts or sails as they move—just as they would in real life.
This level of detail ensures the AR scene feels anchored to the physical model, creating the illusion that visitors are peering into a living version of the ship rather than watching a simple overlay.
Instant Object Detection
Unlike many AR applications that rely on image trackers or markers, this experience uses object detection for seamless interaction. The system instantly recognizes the sail ship in its current position, making it easy for visitors to engage without any setup or scanning.
A Glimpse Into the Future of AR in Museums
This prototype demonstrates how augmented reality can add a new dimension to museum exhibits. By combining storytelling, animation, and interactivity, it transforms a static object into a captivating experience for visitors of all ages.
At Reawaken, we’re proud to help the National Maritime Museum explore how technology can bring maritime history alive—and we’re excited to see where this innovation could sail next.