A group of residents with disabilities are currently trying out the tour of Verulamium - and if all goes well, the experience will be available from May.
 | | Info is fed to your mobile |
“This technology provides an innovative way to enhance and bring to life much of the historical information and artefacts within our collections allowing us to reach new audiences, for leisure or educational purposes,” said Alison Coles, Public Services Manager for St Albans Museums. “The tour will complement the new Hypocaust building and displays in the museum. As the information is all held on the Web, it will be easy for us to add new archaeological information, improve and expand the tour. Access to the tour does not depend on the museum being open, as it is available to visitors “on-line” 24 hours a day all year round.” Funding The system has taken three years to develop and has been funded completely from funds outside the council and museum - getting £40,000 from the European Union and £5,200 from the East of England Museum hub.
 | | The phone tour shows points of interest |
The cost of the tour will be dependent on individual's mobile phone tariffs and deal - but as a rough guide, without any phone package, the cost would be £4.50. Alison described the tour: "You receive text about things that you can see or pictures about what buildings would have looked like or you can receive the tour in an audio format.
 | | The tour gives you directions |
"The tour then asks you whether you would like more information; so you have the option to continue indepth or stick with the quick synopsis. You also have the option of having information emailed to you later." Roman archaeology The aim of the tour is to interest people in the Roman archaeology underneath Verulamium Park, including the forum, basilica, various temples, gates and roads. The Romans conquered England in AD43 and settled in Verulamium around AD50. Verulamium expanded to become a wealthy provincial town of the Roman Empire and one of the largest towns in Roman Britain. After the departure of the Romans, a new Saxon town was built on the hill using most of the Roman bricks and mortar from Verulamium, so there are few remains to see above ground. The mobile phone tour is a response to people who wish to ‘see’ the Roman Town. The tour was developed by a local technology company, Trivas Ltd. | 
