Hull's Lost Mermaid Augmented Reality Trail

In the Western Library garden stands a mermaid statue with a fascinating story. She began life in the 1840s as a fountain in Hull’s Zoological Gardens on Spring Bank, a Victorian attraction filled with exotic animals, pavilions, and amusements. Historic records show that in 1848, over 20,000 people gathered there to witness a hot-air balloon called ‘Cremorne’ take flight, a spectacle that, for Victorians, would have felt as groundbreaking as virtual reality does today.

When the Zoological Gardens closed, the mermaid travelled across Hull, first to Pearson Park, then outside Fletcher’s corner in Hull’s city centre, before finally finding her home at the Western Library. Many locals remember tossing a penny into her fountain as children, making wishes that felt filled with magic.

This summer, HelloU Creative re-imagined her story creating ‘The Lost Mermaid Augmented Reality Trail’ for Hull Libraries’ Mini Malarkey Festival. Families explored five AR activated portholes hidden in the library garden, each unlocking a piece of her tale. After collecting all five magic words, children received a special penny gift so they could make a wish and magically bring the mermaid to life using AR, transforming a quiet corner of Hull into a place where history, play, and technology collided.

The Western Library team brought the project to life with their voices as storytellers, proving that while technology can create magic, it’s people who truly make stories memorable.  To extend the creativity further, the Reel Creative team delivered digital book cover design workshops, where young people designed imaginative covers inspired by the mermaid’s magic words, blending art, technology, and storytelling.

Penny Wishes

Once, wishes were whispered into fountains and kept close to the heart. Now, many of our wishes and dreams are shared in the open through social media posts, photos, and little messages that float forever in the digital cloud. Technology keeps changing how we tell our stories, and AI will no doubt transform them again. But some things never change: the need to connect, to remember, and to create something that truly means something. The Future of Communication

Looking ahead, the ways we share will keep evolving. Just as Victorians once marvelled at the hot air balloon flights and exotic animals, today we marvel at AI, AR, and holograms. New technology always feels extraordinary at first, but soon becomes part of daily life. The challenge is balance. Technology can enrich communication, but it should never replace the human touch, traditions, or the timeless power of face-to-face storytelling and connection. Imagine museums where statues don’t just stand silently but speak, sing, and reveal hidden stories through immersive layers of history.

The future lies in hybrid spaces where digital enhances the physical without overshadowing it.

As September begins, let it be a reminder: make your stories count. With purpose, they don’t just last they ignite imagination, inspire connection, and shape the way we communicate for generations to come. At HelloU Creative, this is our approach: using technology to open new doors, spark curiosity, and ensure experiences remain both personal and meaningful.