Richmond Region Tourism
Poe Museum AR
- Client
- Sector
- Tourism
- What we did
- Concept, design, and augmented reality development
Bringing Richmond's history to life.
The challenge
Richmond Region Tourism wanted to draw visitors and locals to the Poe Museum and the wider region, including students, literary fans, and travelers drawn to the darker side of history. The content had to be respectful and informative, yet current enough to reach audiences who know Poe from pop culture, and the goal was physical visits, not just views.
The build
An augmented reality experience that brings the Poe Museum's bust of Edgar Allan Poe to life. The animated Poe shares facts about his life, recites lines from The Raven, and introduces the museum, or leads an overview of the region's self-guided Mysterious and Spooky Richmond Region tour, with stops such as Hollywood Cemetery, Hanover Tavern, and Historic St. John's Church.
Guests can meet him at the museum or summon him anywhere from a mobile device, so the experience reaches beyond the museum walls.
The result
The experience launched for the Halloween season and drew coverage in the local press, giving Visit Richmond a shareable way to connect the Poe Museum with the wider Richmond region, on site and from anywhere.
Project images
In the press
Questions about this project
What did Shockoe build for Richmond Region Tourism?
An augmented reality experience that animates the Poe Museum's bust of Edgar Allan Poe. He shares facts about his life, recites lines from The Raven, introduces the museum, and guides guests through a self-guided tour of the region's spookier sights.
Do guests have to be at the Poe Museum?
No. Guests can meet Poe on site at the museum, or summon him anywhere through a mobile device.
Who was the experience built for?
Visitors and locals, including students, literary fans, and travelers drawn to the darker side of history. The aim was to drive visits to the Poe Museum, to other sites across the region, and to Richmond as a destination.
Was the experience covered in the press?
Yes. Axios Richmond covered the launch, and Budget Travel published Visit Richmond VA's announcement.
The real cost of a disconnected booking engine
The guest is ready to book, and the system asks them to start over. Here is what that handoff costs, and where to fix it first.
Why Guests Abandon Your Booking Engine
Four friction points quietly cost properties revenue on every stay, and most of them show up before the guest ever reaches a payment field.
Redefining Luxury for Private Clubs and Resorts
Scale made the personal touch hard to deliver. A shared guest memory can bring it back without putting more screens between staff and guests.