Historical depiction of Notre Dame Cathedral with a bustling crowd in front. The Gothic architecture features tall towers and detailed stonework, set against a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Notre-Dame de Paris

The Augmented Exhibition

Experience the life, near-death, and restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Notre-Dame de Paris

The Augmented Exhibition

Experience the life, near-death, and restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

November 15, 2022 to March 19, 2023

520 Royal Street

Tricentennial Wing

3rd Floor

The Historic New Orleans Collection brings world heritage to life with a 360-degree augmented-reality immersion into the 850-year history of Notre-Dame Cathedral and its ongoing restoration in the aftermath of the tragic fire of April 15, 2019. Notre-Dame de Paris is designed and produced by Histovery, a French technology firm, in collaboration with the Public Institution in Charge of the Conservation and Restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, and with the sponsorship of L’Oréal Groupe.

Visitors will navigate Notre-Dame de Paris through the ages by using a HistoPad™, an augmented-reality touchscreen tablet developed by Histovery. The handheld device transports visitors back in time, allowing users to observe builders and craftspeople laying the first stones in the Middle Ages, witness the coronation of Emperor Napoleon I in 1804, look on as the Paris Fire Brigade battles the 2019 blaze, and watch current workers in action as they reconstruct this architectural masterpiece.

Within 20 years of the beginning of construction, the cathedral’s choir had been erected. © Histovery

In 1804, Emperor Napoleon I celebrated his imperial coronation in the cathedral. © Histovery

A Histopad in action. © Histovery

The exhibition’s emphasis on the restoration of the cathedral aligns with the Historic New Orleans Collection’s ongoing work to restore and maintain Vieux Carré buildings and steward them for future generations. As proud host of Notre-Dame de Paris, we pay tribute to our region’s French roots while embracing the promise of technological innovation to explore the many layers of history.

The free HistoPad experience is designed to appeal to visitors of all ages, regardless of their comfort level with technology. Visitors can choose among 13 language options—and a self-guided virtual treasure hunt encourages exploration of the cathedral’s history and identification of items embedded within the augmented reality screens. The physical setting of the exhibition is also immersive and visually transports visitors inside the cathedral. Vinyl replicas of the cathedral's flooring, stained-glass transfers on the windows, audio of Notre-Dame’s organs and tolling bells, as well as a projection of one of the cathedral’s famed rose windows, which miraculously survived the fire, complete the multi-sensory experience.