I’ve shared my frustrations with living so far from the history I love many times. It can be hard to see new exhibition after new exhibition open with no way to see it, and to know that there are so many sites that you could visit if you lived somewhere else. So, I am a big fan of anything that lets you experience things from a distance. (If you are going to stop here and comment that you prefer to see things in person, please don’t- I recognise that most things are more enjoyable in person, but that isn’t always possible.) I was quite excited to be approached about a new app that allows you to explore different guided tours of historic sites across the world. Today I’m sharing why I think you should download the Bardeum app, and what sets it apart!
*I received a free code from Bardeum to look at the Kensington Gardens tour- a massive thank you to Bardeum! (When the Versailles tour is available, I will be purchasing that one- stay tuned.)
What is Bardeum?
Bardeum is an app that gives guided tours of different historical sites around the world. The tours are written by knowledgeable historians and performed by professional voice actors. There are sites across the globe, including the UK, Europe, and the US, and are looking to add more. The guided tours were meant to be used as you walk around the site; however, they can still be used virtually! There are several stops on the tour, and at each stop, there is a 1-6 minute clip that explains where you are and why it’s important to that location/story.
Using Bardeum Remotely
I live in Canada, so a walk around Kensington Gardens isn’t quite that easy. (As much as I would love to go there today…) Although I’ve been there countless times and could picture it in my mind, I also wanted it before my eyes. So, I chose to “do the walk” on Google Maps while I followed along. Like other online things, no, it isn’t the same as being there. However, it was still a lot of fun to follow along and explore more of the gardens. You could easily just listen along to the tour like a podcast- it would still be good fun, and quite interesting. However, if you can’t get there, Google Maps helpfully allows you to look around at the surrounding areas while you are listening, like you could in person.
How Much Does Bardeum Cost?
The Bardeum app itself is free, but you do need to pay for experiences. Experiences currently range from $4.79-5.99 USD (as of August 2021). If you wanted to purchase all of the experiences that they have listed (some are marked as coming soon), it could get slightly expensive. However, I think the fact that they are paying historians to research and write these tours, and professional actors to perform them more than justifies the cost. I am always thrilled to see historians being employed!
My one caveat is that I wish they had used newer historians- they have chosen all big and established names in history to write these. Not that they aren’t talented historians- they got to where they are for a reason- but I would love to see new talents being given a chance. (These historians are typically the go-tos for talking heads/interviews/media- there are so many historians never given that chance.)
Are you going to be checking out the Bardeum app for some historical travel?
Cheers,
The Historian
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