Imagineear, an audioguide and multimedia content specialist offering a full range of advisory and interpretation services, has created two self-guided audio tours for the UK's Bodmin Jail, bringing its chilling history to life while turning visitors' phones into responsive digital guides.
Bodmin Jail, built in 1779, is one of Cornwall's most atmospheric and supposedly haunted attractions. 55 executions took place at the jail, punishment for crimes such as arson and murder.
See also: Bodmin Jail: an immersive journey into Cornwall's dark past
Guests can download the tours when buying tickets online or by scanning QR codes at the entrance upon arrival.
Available in multiple languages, the History Tour offers visitors an engaging journey through the building's dark past.
During the tour, they encounter notable former inmates such as Sarah Polgrean, who was executed in 1820 for poisoning her husband, and the Lightfoot Brothers, known for their murder and whose execution attracted a crowd of 25,000.
Exploring history and the paranormal
Meanwhile, the Paranormal Audio Trail, launched last year just in time for Halloween, guides visitors to 27 spooky stops. The trail includes tales of slamming doors, shuffling footsteps, and the eerie sensation of an invisible child's hand.
The narration and audio produced by the Imagineear team were described by the attraction operator as "a masterpiece of sound effects and music, elevating the tour to a spine-tingling paranormal experience."
Imagineear's Emma Thompson, the senior account manager for this project, says: "We were proud to team up with Bodmin Jail to produce their first audioguide, bringing centuries of dark and captivating history to life for visitors at one of Britain’s most notorious prisons.
"Working with such a well-respected attraction in the South West was a real privilege — and a meaningful milestone in establishing our presence in the heritage visitor attraction sector.''
The branded digital interface maintains consistency with the jail's unique design theme, from the Naval Wing to the Hanging Pit, ensuring all on-screen content aligns seamlessly.
Imagineear also recently contributed an immersive audio guide for Between Real and Surreal, a temporary retrospective celebrating the work of American photographer Rodney Smith at the Palazzo Roverella in Rovigo, Italy. The exhibition includes over 100 surreal images created by the artist between 1971 and 2014.
Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.
