Ipswich residents and visitors are invited to Connect, Explore and Imagine this February half term as Digital Ipswich Week brings a town-wide celebration of free digital experiences from 16–22 February.
Ipswich Borough Council is encouraging everyone to get outside, discover the town in new and surprising ways, and make the most of Ipswich’s growing collection of digital installations and AR trails.
Digital Ipswich uses augmented reality, virtual reality, live public art and storytelling to reimagine how people explore the town. It brings culture, creativity and heritage directly onto the streets, offering easy to access experiences for all ages.
Throughout the week, people can enjoy the latest flagship Digital Ipswich attractions completely free of charge, including:
• The Ipswich Portal – a live window connecting Ipswich to cities worldwide
• AR/VR Heritage Binoculars – six Victorian “time travel” viewpoints across the town
• Weird’s Wich – a supernatural AR trail for older teens and adults
• Journey of Words – a literary AR walking trail celebrating Ipswich’s creative legends
The Ipswich Portal is a spectacular circular sculpture installed on the Cornhill, and the first of its kind in the UK. It contains a large livestream video screen that allows passers-by in the heart of town to see and interact with people in other Portal cities as if they were standing face-to-face.
Unveiled last October, the Ipswich Portal became the fifth installation in a growing global network. It now connects to cities including Vilnius, Lublin, Dublin, Philadelphia and Manila, with Brazil joining the network soon. Operating daily from early morning to late evening, the Portal symbolises unity, curiosity, and connection. Step up to the sculpture and interact with people in cities across the globe in real time. Some residents and visitors have even been visiting Ipswich’s Portal to ‘meet up’ with friends and family at other Portals in far-off places.
The recently launched AR/VR Heritage Binoculars are six free-to-use digital viewing sculptures that allow adults and children to see and explore animated Victorian scenes at key locations including Christchurch Park, Buttermarket, the Cornhill and the Waterfront.
Each set of binoculars offers a distinct Victorian interpretation of its surroundings, using augmented reality and virtual reality technology. Designed for all ages and fully accessible, these binoculars let users “travel back in time” to see animated scenes of Ipswich in the 1890s - complete with soundscapes, changing atmospheres and historically accurate reconstructions.
With no phone, app or digital skills required, the binoculars make Ipswich’s heritage engaging and accessible to everyone.
Those who prefer to ‘download and discover’ have a choice of AR trail apps to guide them.
The Ipswich Journey of Words is a free, self-paced 3.5-mile AR walking trail celebrating more than 20 writers, performers and creatives linked to Ipswich’s rich cultural history. Accessible via downloading the Go Jauntly app, this trail combines AR scenes, audio storytelling, archival material, and digital animation for an immersive experience.
The route runs from Christchurch Park to Holywells Park and features stories of well-known figures such as Enid Blyton, H. Rider Haggard, Tina Turner, Ed Sheeran, Richard Ayoade, Omid Djalili and Sir Bobby Robson. It’s a perfect way for literature lovers, history enthusiasts, and curious walkers to discover key locations with local links to famous people.
For a ‘supernatural’ experience, Weird’s Wich is a horror themed, location-based AR trail created for older teens (17+) and adults.
Using AR triggers across Ipswich, this eerie trail takes thrill-seekers to uncover the town’s darker legends through scary encounters, after dark apparitions and dramatic story moments at ancient and modern locations. The experience blends jump scares, games and puzzles to be solved, spectral battles and time bending portals to be activated. Remember, it’s all just a bit of fun…or is it?
This February half term, Digital Ipswich Week invites residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy these attractions and the opportunities to:
• Connect – with others, with the world, and with Ipswich’s stories
• Explore – the town centre, parks and waterfront in creative new ways
• Imagine – the town’s past, present and future through digital storytelling
Councillor Neil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, says:
“Digital Ipswich Week is all about inspiring people to get out and about in the town and experience something new. It’s the perfect opportunity to try our latest innovations for yourself, or have some half-term fun with the family, or enjoy an eye-opening walk of discovery with like-minded friends.
“These free digital attractions and interactive adventures connect us with the world, help us explore our surroundings in creative ways and spark the imagination. Whether you’re time travelling through Victorian streetscapes, taking a tour of our literary and cultural heritage, uncovering spooky secrets, or waving to someone across the globe from the Cornhill, we want everyone to feel proud, curious and excited about what our town has to offer.”
“There’s never been a better time to experience Ipswich in a whole new light.”
More information is available at Digital Ipswich | ipswich.gov.uk
Download the Apps:
• The Ipswich Journey of Words – via the Go Jauntly app (Apple App Store and Google Play Store)
• Weird’s Wich – available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
Digital Ipswich:
Digital Ipswich is an initiative led by Ipswich Borough Council, as part of the UK government's Towns Fund (“Towns Deal”) for Ipswich. Through investment of £2.3 million, Digital Ipswich projects are transforming the town centre into a more digitally enhanced, culturally vibrant, attractive and economically active space.