"The Gates" Augmented Reality Experience and Exhibition

Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates" will return to Central Park in AR form

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of The Gates, Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s monumental work of temporary public art. Installed in Central Park in February 2005, the artwork consisted of 7,503 saffron-colored gates adorned with free-flowing fabric that spanned 23 miles of pathways and transformed the iconic park. To celebrate the project’s anniversary, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, along with The Shed, Central Park Conservancy, NYC Parks, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will launch a major exhibition at The Shed in Hudson Yards and an augmented reality (AR) experience in Central Park powered by Bloomberg Connects. AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE IN CENTRAL PARK The Gates will also be reimagined through one of the most ambitious art augmented reality experiences ever created in Central Park, which can be accessed for free on the Bloomberg Connects mobile app. The innovative technology, developed collaboratively by the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, Dirt Empire, and Superbright, will allow park visitors to relive the iconic 2005 installation by using their mobile device as a portal to see a section of The Gates where they once stood. Throughout the journey, visitors will also be cued to engage with simple interactive stories and information that convey the history of The Gates project. Where? Visitors to the park will be able to view about five percent of the original installation through the free Bloomberg Connects app inside the park at the level of 72nd Street, between 5th Avenue and Cherry Hill. When? The AR experience is free to access from February 12 to March 23, 2025, during daylight park hours only, with signage along the AR route, and will be wheelchair accessible along the paved pathways. How? To enjoy The Gates: An Augmented Reality Experience, park goers will need to download the free Bloomberg Connects app from Google Play or the App Store before their visit to Central Park. Instructions Download the Bloomberg Connects app or scan the QR code at The Gates augmented reality scanning stations located in Central Park along the AR route. In the Bloomberg Connects app, follow the onboarding instructions to calibrate your device and launch The Gates in augmented reality. You will be able to experience The Gates virtually as you are guided along the paths. Look for wayfinding signage that directs you to scanning stations that will launch each augmented reality section.... Show More