Newest Greenway Art Project Takes Visitors Back In Time With Augmented Reality

BOSTON (CBS) - For the newest project on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, all you need is your phone and a little time.

"When you're experiencing augmented reality on the Greenway this summer, you can look for these spinning floating cubes," said Sheila Novak, the public art manager for the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, which is sponsoring a new and innovative art project on the Greenway.

When you see the cubes, all it takes is an app called Hoverplay. When you open the app, it will connect with the Greenway channel and unlock a hidden world of history. There are historical photos of the site and even audio to give you a history lesson.

There's also striking contemporary art you can uncover and walk around in.

"It is a totally different kind of experience. There's a lot of beauty in augmented reality as an art form," Novak said. "Visitors will be able to engage with new ideas throughout a mile-and-a-half long augmented reality experience."

"I think it's cool; I think it will attract more people," said one woman who tried it.

"The ability to actually move it, zoom in ... or ... actually feel like you're interacting with whatever the art installation is ... is pretty cool," said another man.

"It's a treasure hunt. It's a vision of the past and a vision of the future - all in one space," Novak said.

There are at least 16 installations and the project will be at the Greenway for at least six months.