National Army Museum AR exhibit recreates 20 American Revolution scenes

Background

The National Museum of the United States Army, at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, opened "American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" on April 25, 2026, as a centrepiece of its America 250 celebrations. The exhibit was produced by French augmented reality company Histovery and presented by The Army Historical Foundation, which is funding its display through the end of 2027. That run is the longest the touring exhibition will spend at any single venue worldwide.

The Deployment

Visitors are issued a proprietary HistoPad tablet at the entrance. The device's camera scans physical portals and interactive stations positioned throughout the gallery, unlocking 20 life-size 360-degree 3D recreations of key moments from 1767 to 1789, including colonial Virginia, the Boston Tea Party, Valley Forge, Washington's crossing of the Delaware, and the Siege of Yorktown. Visitors move the tablet to explore each scene spatially, zoom in on period objects, and access biographical information on the figures depicted. A built-in Time Portal feature lets visitors scroll forward in time to see the same physical location as it appears today.

Content and Technology

All scenes are rendered in real-time 3D and validated by leading historians and scholars. Histovery handled creative production, IT development, and equipment installation. Generative AI was used to animate historical figures, including a talking representation of Thomas Jefferson. Bespoke audio, produced by Stephen Arnold Music, provides period-accurate sound design including battlefield sequences. The experience supports English, Spanish, French, and German. All content is stored locally on the HistoPads; no Wi-Fi or internet connection is required.

Context and Significance

The exhibit replaced a paid simulator gallery that had been losing visitors, and follows an earlier D-Day AR experience at the museum that performed strongly. Director Paul Morando emphasised a focus on rank-and-file soldiers over well-known figures, citing episodes such as the 1775-76 Noble Train of Artillery as examples of stories the museum is positioned to tell. The touring programme has also appeared at the Historic New Orleans Collection and the Charlotte Museum of History, and is planned to reach all 50 US states through 2031.

Quotes

“It's just not about Washington and Hamilton and the notable figures we all know about. It gets into the everyday soldiers who served, and that's important because it captures the mission of this museum, which focuses on the American soldier and their experience.”

“The Army Historical Foundation was eager to work with the team at Histovery to provide Americans and visitors from around the world with a fresh and engaging way to rediscover how our nation was born.”