Visitors to the Musée du Louvre in Paris can view a selection of Egyptian artifacts in new ways thanks to Egypt Augmented, a series of augmented reality experiences created by Snap’s AR Studio.

According to Snap, these AR experiences will “reveal the shapes, materials, colors and decorations of the selected works, all of which have disappeared over time, leaving only bare stone.” Museum visitors can scan a QR code with their mobile device to activate the AR experiences within the rooms of the Department of Egyptian Antiquities.

“This fascinating plunge into the beauty of ancient Egyptian masterpieces is also a fantastic discovery and mediation tool for all our visitors,” said Laurence des Cars, president-director of the Musée du Louvre. 

“This successful collaboration underlines the extent to which these new technologies can support the Louvre in its missions, so that it remains a place where people are astonished, where they learn to see and where knowledge is transmitted in a different way.”

AR experiences are available for the Naos of Amasis, Chamber of Ancestors and the Dendera Zodiac. These experiences will be available for a full year.

In addition to these exhibit-based AR experiences, Snap launched a Landmarker Lens tied to the Louvre’s square courtyard that will allow visitors to view the Luxor Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde in the space through augmented reality. 

Finally, Snapchat users around the world can try a Face Lens that allows them to wear Egyptian funerary masks in AR, with these masks being inspired by those at the Louvre.

“We are honored to have been able to collaborate with one of France’s most emblematic cultural institutions, the Musée du Louvre, to use our technologies to reveal some of the secrets of Egyptian antiquities,” said Donatien Bozon, AR Studio director at Snap.

“With more than 250 million people worldwide interacting with Snapchat’s augmented reality every day, its use is booming and evolving by the day, particularly towards educational and cultural uses. Through these augmented reality experiences, we wanted to offer new perspectives for cultural contemplation at the Musée du Louvre, by offering visitors an interactive and immersive experience that deepens their discovery of the artworks.”