Visitors to Blenheim Palace can now enjoy customised tours with the help of a state-of-the-art app named ‘Archie – your interactive guide’. This app is named after the Palace’s former administrator and first chief guide, Archie Illingworth, who served from 1950 to 1972 and retired after the death of the 10th Duke.
The new multimedia platform has been developed by Culturati, a Horizon Europe RIA project, with Britain’s Greatest Palace acting as the UK pilot site.
‘Archie – your interactive guide’ enables visitors to select what they wish to explore, immersing them in over 300 years of stories, many previously untold. Several narratives are shared directly by staff, adding authenticity and depth to the experience.
Bringing history to life
For example, guests can learn how the Long Library served as a convalescent hospital during World War I, aiding soldiers recovering from various ailments and injuries, including gunshot and shrapnel wounds, shock, pneumonia, and dyspepsia. They can also discover how Blenheim Palace‘s grounds were used during World War II to test weapons on Spitfire fighter aircraft.
Additionally, Archie Illingworth reminisces about welcoming the House of Dior to Blenheim in 1954 for the first of two fundraising fashion shows organised by the 10th Duchess to benefit the Red Cross.
The app not only harnesses cutting-edge digital technologies to deliver personalised content; it also uses sophisticated sensors at Blenheim Palace to monitor and manage visitor flow, helping to optimise the guest experience through strategic crowd management.
David Green, head of innovation at Blenheim Palace and Culturati project manager, says: “It is a real honour for Blenheim Palace to be the UK pilot site for this unique collaboration, which retells stories using the latest digital technologies with elements of AI.”
“This innovative initiative aims to revolutionise how cultural heritage and arts content is collectively created and shared across Europe. With the more traditional audio guide, our visitors were able to listen to a description of what they saw before their eyes – and that description would be the same for everyone. With ‘Archie – your interactive guide’, every visitor can enjoy a bespoke, unique experience.”
Culturati brings together 14 European partners, creating an interdisciplinary consortium of computer scientists, cultural professionals, social sciences academics, small and medium-sized enterprises, public authorities, and non-profit organisations. The European Commission funds the project, coordinated by Bilkent University, with UK support from Innovate UK. Blenheim Palace is collaborating with Oxford Brookes University to conduct user research to improve the platform’s effectiveness.
Last month, Blenheim Palace unveiled some of its green initiatives as the visitor attraction sets a benchmark for sustainable tourism. It is working to become a place for eco-conscious visitors through many initiatives, including reducing waste, promoting renewable energy and fostering biodiversity.
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