Street Science: An Augmented Reality Exhibition on Symbiosis at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier

Street Science: An Augmented Reality Exhibition on Symbiosis at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier

Street Science is an invitation to take a geolocated stroll that lets you discover the symbiosis—or sustainable coexistence—between two organisms of different species in a way we’ve never seen before: through augmented reality!

The opening of this exhibition, presented by the University of Montpellier, will take place on Saturday, July 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Jardin des Plantes, where it will be open to the public all summer long.

Launched in 2018 with support from the French National Research Institute for Development (IRD Sud-Est) and the South Region, the Street Science mobile app offers augmented-reality urban scavenger hunts that let users explore—and learn—in a fun way.

In 2022, Street Science is taking its program on the road and inviting people of all ages (ages 8 and up) to an educational walk exploring the theme of symbiosis. The ten or so 3D models installed at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier showcase the diversity of symbiotic relationships between organisms of different species.

This interactive tour, which explores all aspects of symbiosis in a fun and engaging way, was created for the 10th Congress of the International Symbiosis Society and made possible thanks to financial support from IDEXLYON and INSA Lyon. All of the content presented was developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Lyon, the National Museum of Natural History, the Roscoff Biological Station, and the University of Melbourne.

The app—and all its walking tours!—is free and available on app stores. And for those who won’t have the chance to visit Montpellier and its Jardin des Plantes, a special category of walks called “Play Anywhere” lets you download everything you need to set up your own educational scavenger hunts—in the garden, at home, or in the schoolyard of an elementary, middle, or high school.

Practical Information:
=> Opening: Saturday, July 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Orangerie in the Jardin des Plantes
=> Free admission during the Jardin des Plantes’ regular opening hours
=> Ends: October 22, 2022.