Bringing Prehistoric
Dallas to life
Client EPHAS/Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Project Fossil Hunt AR Experience
Services
  • Script
  • 2D & 3D animation/modelling
  • AR
  • Design

The challenge

Engaging a new generation of scientific minds

We created an AR experience for The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, using an AR platform called EPHAS. Our objective was to create a unique and engaging AR experience to tell the story of the Dallasaurus – a missing link in the story of the mosasaurs, and a paleontological wonder local to Dallas. We needed to capture the joys of palaeontology and natural history for visitors of every age and deliver an immersive experience of prehistoric Dallas.

Our creative process

Putting the visitor first

AR is a medium that provides the opportunity to give visitors a hands-on, active experience which they can navigate intuitively and flexibly at their own pace, accessing the experience through their own smartphone or tablet devices. We created a story-driven mystery adventure experience that places the user in the shoes of a palaeontologist, tasked with piecing together the intriguing puzzle of the Dallasaurus – a real palaeontological mystery that had natural historians scratching their heads for years.

Starting with a single fossil as a clue, the digital ‘fossil hunt’ experience leads visitors around different areas of the museum to uncover more clues such as other fossils, notes and drawings, which all feed into building the story with the visitor as the main character. The visitors are accompanied by a fictional AI character, a digital assistant that helps the user uncover new findings and piece together information to conclude the story.

We worked with the museum’s team of palaeontologists to bring the Dallasaurus and its marine environment to life in exacting detail – giving visitors a glimpse through time and a chance to see what life was like when the Dallasaurus swam the murky, tepid waters of the ocean that once covered Dallas.

The outcome and impact

An enhanced museum experience

Installed and in use, our fossil hunt experience is open to visitors to the museum of all ages. The palaeontological team we collaborated with was extremely happy with the way we visualised and presented prehistoric life with a great story to integrate all the information together, and the final result is an immersive experience that successfully communicates the joys of natural history.