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Here’s a surprising fact: in the early 1700s, Vienna’s Belvedere Palace wasn’t just a baroque architectural gem – it was also home to a private zoo of exotic animals owned by its flamboyant founder, Prince Eugene of Savoy. Fast-forward 300 years and Belvedere Museum is using those same animals to capture the attention of the TikTok generation through innovative augmented reality (AR) experiences.
On a panel at Web Summit recently, I spoke with Constanze Mitterhuemer, head of innovation at Belvedere Museum, and Paul van Raak, creative director at the Dutch agency The Brand Father, about how they’re using digital tools to make history come alive for younger audiences. Their collaboration has turned a historic institution into a digital playground while offering valuable lessons for marketers everywhere.
A 2020 UK study revealed that only 12% of individuals under 24 felt museums had anything relevant to offer. This disconnect was at the heart of Belvedere’s challenge. As Mitterhuemer explained, “If you don’t engage kids early, you lose them forever.” The museum needed to compete with the digital distractions of Fortnite, Instagram and TikTok by meeting young people where they already are – both physically and digitally.
In 2022, Belvedere Museum partnered with Brandfather to develop Fantastic Palastics, an AR game set in the museum’s historic gardens. Designed to commemorate Belvedere’s 300th anniversary, the game draws on the palace’s history, bringing Prince Eugene’s exotic animals to life in a modern, interactive format.
Here’s how it works:
Players scan sculptures in the garden to unlock digital animals, guided by an in-game mentor, the Sphinx.
They solve challenges to ‘rescue’ and feed the animals, collecting them in a way that feels like a historical Pokémon Go.
The game is browser-based, so it doesn’t require downloads, making it accessible to a broad audience.
The game has been a hit, attracting 300 players a week and creating an engaging, educational experience for families and children.
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The success of Fantastic Palastics has inspired the development of a second phase: Fantastic Palastics Museum Mission. This iteration takes the experience inside the museum, blending traditional physical maps with digital challenges. Kids use these tools to navigate the galleries, solve puzzles and uncover a ‘secret artist’ who turns out to be themselves, fostering a sense of creativity and connection with the museum’s art.
“What started as a simple AR game is now the cornerstone of our youth engagement strategy,” said Mitterhuemer. The team carefully balanced digital interaction with the museum’s educational goals, ensuring that the technology enriches, rather than overshadows, the visitor experience.
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Van Raak stressed that successful digital experiences begin with a strong narrative. “It’s not about the tech – it’s about the story,” he said. By focusing on Prince Eugene’s vibrant history and weaving that into a gamified experience, Belvedere Museum created something both meaningful and memorable.
The team also emphasized the importance of adaptability. Early versions of Fantastic Palastics were refined through testing with children, proving that flexibility and audience feedback are crucial for success.
Belvedere Museum’s journey proves that even the most traditional institutions can embrace innovation to captivate younger audiences. By blending history, storytelling and technology, the museum has reimagined how cultural heritage is presented – and in doing so, it has created a blueprint for other institutions and brands to follow.
“Innovation doesn’t mean throwing out tradition,” said Mitterhuemer. “It means finding the magic within it and giving it a modern twist.” Whether you’re running a museum or marketing a product, the lesson is clear: meet your audience where they are and give them a reason to care.
