“Street Science” Exhibition

Launch of an augmented reality exhibition on the theme of symbiosis at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier.

Street Science is an invitation to take a geolocated stroll that lets you discover the symbiosis—or sustainable coexistence—between two organisms of different species in a way you’ve never seen before: through augmented reality!

The opening of this exhibition, presented by the University of Montpellier, will take place on Saturday, July 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Jardin des Plantes, where it will be open to the public all summer long.

Launched in 2018 with support from the French Research Institute Research Sustainable Development (IRD Sud-Est) and the Sud Region, the Street Science mobile app offers augmented-reality urban scavenger hunts that make exploring—and learning—fun.

In 2022, Street Science is taking its exhibition on the road, inviting visitors of all ages (ages 8 and up) to an educational tour exploring the theme of symbiosis. The dozen or so 3D models installed at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier showcase the diversity of symbiotic relationships between organisms of different species.

This interactive tour, which explores all aspects of symbiosis in a fun and engaging way, was created for the 10th Congress of the International Symbiosis Society and made possible thanks to financial support from IDEXLYON and INSA Lyon. All of the content presented was developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Lyon, the National Museum of Natural History, the Roscoff Biological Station, and the University of Melbourne.

The app—and all its walking tours!—is free and available on app stores. And for those who won’t have the chance to visit Montpellier and its Jardin des Plantes, a special category of walks, titled “Play Anywhere,” lets you download everything you need to set up your own educational scavenger hunts—in the garden, at home, or in the schoolyard.

• Practical information:

  • Launch: Saturday, July 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Orangerie in the Jardin des Plantes
  • Free admission during the Jardin des Plantes’ opening hours
  • Deadline: October 22, 2022

• Learn more

• Download the flyer