Microsoft HoloLens 2 Brings Extinct Animals Back to Life at Paris National Museum

We already know that the US Army will be using its modified HoloLens 2 for special missions, and major businesses are deploying the augmented reality device for enterprise use cases.

Nevertheless, despite Microsoft's mostly business-focused push for the advanced AR device, there are still creative studios using it to expand the boundaries of entertainment. One of the latest is bringing us an immersive trip through time.

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This month, the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle) in Paris launched a new immersive exhibit called Relive Extinct Animals In Augmented Reality (Revivre, Les Animaux Disparus En Réalité Augmentée).

The installation, which exclusively uses the HoloLens 2, allows visitors to virtually interact with a wide range of extinct animals species including the saber-toothed cat (aka saber-toothed tiger, or Smilodon), the dodo bird (raphus cucullatus), the Rodrigues giant tortoise, the elephant bird, the great auk (pinguinus impennis), and six other extinct species.

According to the museum, aside from highlighting our planet's natural history, another goal of the installation is to promote the preservation of current animal species that are endangered.

The 15-minute AR experience was co-produced by Paris-based immersive team SAOLA Studio and features an audio narration as well as a 3D-rendered migrating pigeon (also extinct) as your virtual guide.

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And while the exhibit, which kicked off on June 16, is now part of the museum's permanent collection, access is still limited to Wednesdays, weekends, and school holidays.

So if you're in Paris and want to dive into its virtual waters, your best bet is to check ahead on the Museum's website.

Cover image via the French National Museum of Natural History