The Kelowna Museums Society has partnered with QuestUpon, an ‘edutainment’ gaming company, to create a variety of experiences that bring culture and heritage to life.
Pigs On Bernard is a historical quest that combines cutting-edge technology called augmented reality—where virtual objects live and move in the real world—with Kelowna’s history and heritage. It’s basically a walking tour guided by your smartphone, turned into a game.
“The partnership of Kelowna Museums and QuestUpon is innovative and inspiring. By pairing up cutting-edge virtual technology with the telling of the story of Kelowna’s rich, cultural heritage, we bring the past to life in a brand new way,” says Linda Digby, executive director of Kelowna Museums Society.
“We are also very grateful for the support of the Central Okanagan Foundation for this project.”
Created by QuestUpon, in consultation with Kelowna Museums, Pigs on Bernard is being promoted during the week of Feb. 16-22, as a spotlight to Heritage Week. During that week, anyone who completes the tour and comes into the Okanagan Heritage Museum will have a chance to enter their name into a draw to win their very own herd of chocolate pigs from Annegret’s Chocolates on Bernard in Kelowna.
The tour begins on Bernard Avenue and guides the user through the downtown area, finishing the experience at Okanagan Heritage Museum.
One enthusiastic QuestUpon user said: “I really love the treasure hunt; watching my position on the map dynamically change as I walk around. The trivia is fun and educational. My daughter loves it. Highly recommended.” Another user commented: “Watching pigs running down Bernard was a blast. Try it… you will be amazed!”
Get started by downloading the free QuestUpon app for Apple or Android smartphones. Remember to do the quest for Heritage Week and you could win your very own herd of pigs. Pigs On Bernard historical quest is proof that history can be fun.
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About Kelowna Museums Society
The Okanagan Heritage Museum is a facility of the Kelowna Museums Society, a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to a greater awareness of the agricultural, wine-producing, military, and cultural heritages of the Okanagan. For more information please visit www.kelownamuseums.ca.
About QuestUpon
QuestUpon is an edutainment gaming company that has created a platform for mobile devices that combines 3D augmented reality with geocaching to gamify the world. For more information please visit www.questupon.com