Google has announced a new Google Maps AR Experience feature that will allow users to see what historical places looked like in the 1900s and even earlier. The feature uses augmented reality (AR) technology to overlay historical images onto modern street views captured by a smartphone camera.

The AR Experience will be available for places that have cultural, social, or historical significance. For example, one of the first places where this feature is available was the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Google plans to expand access to this feature to more historical places in the future.

Users will be able to explore these places using their smartphone. To activate the feature, find a place in Google Maps that supports AR content, tap the “AR Experience” icon, and lift up the device to see the historical view overlaid on the real image.

Google also plans to add the ability to travel through historical eras, up to the 18th century, in the future. Users will be able to see what such significant places as Notre Dame Cathedral and its surroundings looked like in 1789, the Bastille before the French Revolution, and the legendary Tuileries Palace before its demolition.

The developers note that AR Experience will offer not only visualizations, but also interactive maps containing detailed information about the history of outstanding places. Google has not yet announced the exact launch date of the new feature and the platforms on which it will be available, but AR Experience is expected to begin rolling out this summer.

This new Google Maps feature promises to be a powerful tool for historical education and tourism, giving users the opportunity to dive into the past and see the world as it looked centuries ago.