Jerusalem, Israel  - Jan. 26, 2020 - The Tower of David Museum (ToD) on a very rainy January morning in Jerusalem, Israel revealed its latest and newest attraction at a press conference.  Joining the permanent exhibitions covering thousands of years of history, Night Experiences, Observation Point, Museum Tours, Cultural Events, and the special photographic history of Har Habayit, called "The Mount" which closes the end of February, is Mars. Mars, innovative storytelling specializes in creating personalized Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) experiences.

Mars storytelling experience takes place in real-time and is based on the visitor’s personal choices, therefore, making each experience unique. The aim is to engage and interest families, adults, and millennials by combining cutting edge technologies with high-end storytelling presented on a tablet and with the use of earphones. The technology includes data analysis and machine-learning technologies to create personalized content based on the viewer's subconscious behavior in the 3D surrounding.

In the ancient tower named for Ibrahim Pasha, the first Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire appointed by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who ruled over the Land of Israel, is the ToD Innovation Lab where Mars was nurtured and launched. Ori Noam, Mars CEO and co-founder explained, “In Virtual Reality, users wear 3D glasses which separate them completely from their physical surroundings and cut the connection with their sensory surroundings.  In contrast, in MR and AR, the users are present in the experience of the actual site around them - in this instance the Tower of David - on which the figures, buildings, and stories are layered in 3D which allows the virtual content to exist together with the actual surroundings through use of the most advanced technologies and animation techniques.”  

The ToD is one of only a very few museums in the world that has its own innovation lab. The ToD Innovation Lab provides technological and digital solutions from the world of VR and AR for the purposes of providing a rich experience for the user and visitor to the museum. The tools which are being developed in the Lab aim to show the story of Jerusalem using the most advanced interactive methods.

“For quite some time, we have been looking for innovative, engaging and exciting ways to make the Tower of David Museum and the history of Jerusalem and its stories more accessible to the wide and varied audience that visitors the Museum every year” stated Eilat Lieber, Director of the Tower of David Museum.  “Israel is the high-tech leader in many fields, but the world of historical and archaeological content has remained on the back burner.  The Innovation Lab of the Tower of David Museum is dedicated to the development of experiences for visitors and works with innovative technologies in order to enrich the experience and to illustrate content in a creative manner.  The impressive archaeological garden, the exhibition halls, the 360-degree panoramic view over the city, the “Kishle” which was built in 1834, pools from the time of Herod, secret passages and rooftops of various heights, all these make the Tower of David an excellent test site for innovative technology, which digitally and interactively enriches the experience of the visitor.”  

The weather prohibited using the Mars tablet outside to see its full effect. However, in the Innovation Lab, a demonstration of the David fighting Goliath scene was attempted.  

At the ancient Jerusalem site used for military purposes before the British Mandate, now developing culture and amazing technology of the future.

MARS at the Tower of David Museum

The number of players? 1 per device with earphones, or family of 5 without earphones

Age-appropriate: From age 6+

How long does it take? Approx 20 min

How much does it cost? NIS 25

Languages: English and Hebrew

How to book it? on arrival at the Ticket Office at the ToD Museum

The ToD will be open and have special activities on Purim and Israeli Election Day March 2, 2020.