Public Evaluation of Notre-Dame Whispers, a Geolocated Outdoor Audio-Guided Tour of Notre-Dame’s Sonic History

Bibliographic Data

ID13125347
AuthorsJulien De Muynke (0000-0002-0373-4697, Sorbonne Université, corresponding author), Stéphanie Peichert (ParisTech), Brian F G Katz (0000-0001-5118-0943, Sorbonne Université)
Year2026
Volume9
Issue1
Pages19-19
Publication date2026-01-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHeritage (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2571-9408 • E-ISSN: 2571-9408
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/heritage9010019
OpenAlexW7119481149
LanguageEN
References cited17

This study presents the on-site public evaluation of Notre-Dame Whispers, a geolocated audio-guided tour that explores the sonic history of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. The experience combines binaural reproduction, embodied storytelling, and historically informed soundscapes to immerse visitors in the cathedral’s past auditory environments. Drawing on virtually recreated acoustics, it reconstructs key components of Notre-Dame’s sound heritage, including the medieval construction site, early polyphonic chant, and the contemporary urban soundscape. An on-site evaluation was conducted to assess visitor engagement, usability, and the perceived authenticity of the reconstructed soundscapes. A mixed-methods approach integrated questionnaire responses, semi-structured interviews, and anonymized user analytics collected through the mobile application. Results indicate a high level of immersion, with participants particularly valuing the spatialised audio design and narrative depth. However, challenges were identified regarding GPS-based triggering reliability and the difficulty of situational interpretation in complex spatial environments. These findings offer insights into public reception of immersive heritage audio experiences and inform future developments in digital cultural mediation

Cultural heritage · Exhibition · Interpretation (philosophy · Masking (illustration · Narrative · Public history · Soundscape · Storytelling · Visitor pattern · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Noise Effects and Management

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access