Visitors to St George’s Hall will be able to walk in the footsteps of a Victorian prison guard from next week.
The iconic hall’s popular visitor experience The History Whisperer has been reimagined and will now also feature a new character – The Warder – as part of an immersive exhibition.
Using augmented reality technology, the extended History Whisperer, which was launched in 2021, will now take the public to little-seen parts of the hall. Wending their way past the prison cells, across a bridge and into subterranean areas, visitors will also see the Engine Room where they can view the inner workings of the original heating and ventilation system that made St George’s Hall the world’s first fully air-conditioned public building.
Supported by The Wolfson Foundation, The Warder’s story is being brought to life through a stunning creative collaboration. Captivating visuals have been conjured up by Gazooky Studios, Immersive Interactive’s creativity allows a dynamic exploration of history, with Music in Mind and CineTecture supplying soundscapes and visuals respectively.
For the first time, visitors will also be able to explore The History Whisperer at their own pace with no timed slots.
Larger groups can now visit the experience without having to pre-book.
The History Whisperer: The Warder will be open to the public from Friday 26 April.
Alan Smith Head of Heritage Preservation and Development, said:
“The Warder will offer visitors to St George’s Hall a stunning opportunity to understand the forgotten stories of Liverpool’s collective heritage.
“People will be able to make their own way through parts of the hall which are usually not accessible to the public and get a real idea of how St George’s Hall was used in the 19th century and also what an exceptional piece of architecture and engineering it is.
“Liverpool is a proud city of many firsts but so many people will not know that St George’s was the world’s first fully air-conditioned public building and the enhanced History Whisperer will allow visitors to see the hall’s engine room.
“For almost three years, The History Whisperer has been giving visitors the chance to view history through the eyes of people who lived at the time and The Warder is sure to lock the past into our imaginations for years to come!”
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