Israeli companies Yaturu and Yalla Digital are launching an extended reality (XR) tourism venture at the Palace of Versailles in partnership with France’s Firstep Production, according to a press release.
The new installation, titled “Light of Liberty,” allows Versailles visitors to visually experience the eighteenth century with extended reality headsets.
Unlike virtual reality, the extended reality option allows tourists to walk among figures such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington while immersed in naval battles and secret diplomacy.
“Visitors do much more than just learn about the alliance between France and America; they feel it in their whole body, in every movement,” said CEO of Yaturu Udi Regonis. “The XR experience we developed allows people to remain connected to the physical space of this magnificent palace while embedding within it an interactive layer that brings history to life.
The XR was developed in just six months, including content creation elements, game design, and production. The actual implementation and execution of the project requires a major operational apparatus to manage the influx of tourists, headsets, staff management, and more.
However, the project’s logistics are made particularly challenging by the Palace of Versailles’ acclaimed status.
“This is a living, renowned, sensitive site, where every aspect of the experience is held to an exceptionally high international standard,” said Shlomo Balas, Yaturu’s VP of Production and Content and director of the experience.
“Creatively, spatial storytelling is a whole new narrative world that requires us to ‘step outside the frame’: to build a story that unfolds in physical space, where visitors move, choose, and discover the experience for themselves,” he added.
The collaboration emerged in honor of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence and the French-American alliance. It also represents a step for Israeli technological development, proving that the high-tech world extends beyond regular software.
