About the BeHere / 1942 Augmented Reality App
The BeHere / 1942 exhibition inside JANM is complemented by a groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) installation between the Museum’s Historic Building and Pavilion on the JANM Plaza.
Created by the visionary Japanese media artist Masaki Fujihata, the installation is inspired by the March and May 1942 photographs of Los Angeles-based incarcerees being taken to Manzanar or the Santa Anita temporary detention facility.
The installation is accompanied by the BeHere / 1942 AR app, which lets visitors walk around in the recreation among Japanese Americans on the verge of leaving for the camps. Realized with the participation of members of the local Japanese American community, this recreation includes three people who themselves experienced life in the camps as children.
Visitors can check out iPads at JANM to participate in the experience. iPads can be checked out for 20 minutes to allow others to participate in this activity. If visitors enjoy the AR experience on the iPads, they can download the AR app onto their personal iOS device for their own purposes.
The BeHere / 1942 AR app and AR experience will continue to be accessible after the close of the exhibition. Share the experience on social media using #BeHere1942.