Mobile Phone Tour
The Roman town of Verulmaium is completely hidden beneath modern Verulamium Park. Although all the finds from this rich site are displayed in Verulamium Museum, it is not obvious what remains in the park.
We are developing technology to allow visitors to discover what lies beneath their feet at any time they choose and at their own pace. This takes the form of a directed tour that uses wireless mobile phone technology to download information from the museum website onto any WAP enabled phone or PDA.
The tour takes in some of the most fascinating parts of the old Roman town. See where the basilica and forum once stood, at the heart of the ancient town. Learn about the Roman graveyard buried beneath the modern lake, or how the townsfolk defended themselves from attackers.
You can also find out about what happened after the Romans left, how St Alban came to be martyred and learn about the local wildlife.
You can take the tour whenever you like, it doesn't matter if the musuem is closed, and you choose how much detail you want. With colour pictures and diagrams, it really helps to bring the old town to life.
This tour has been developed to meet the needs of disabled people, with features such as high visibility colours and an audio tour option under development. The route is also suitable for users of wheelcairs and scooters.
The first prototype was developed and tested in 2002 and a full version will be available soon.
Read what the BBC website had to say about this exciting new tour.
