Kuenta Heritage · Aruba
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History is hiding
in plain sight

Stand at a monument. Point your phone. Unlock the story — through AR, video, audio, and archival records. Free. No download required.

📍
I'm at a
monument
Scan marker or use GPS
🗺️
Oranjestad
Walking Trail
GPS-guided tour
🏠
Explore
from home
Browse & watch
2 sites· 11 chapters· BNA & ANA sourced· Free forever
Archival sources Biblioteca Nacional Aruba (BNA) | Archivo Nacional Aruba (ANA)

What is Kuenta?

Heritage that walks beside you

Kuenta — "to count" and "to tell" in Papiamento — is a free, browser-based platform that layers archival evidence, oral history, and 3D reconstruction directly onto Aruba's protected monuments. Visit a site, scan the marker, and centuries of documented history come into view.

Why it works

History you can stand inside

See history where it happened

Stand at Fort Zoutman or Alto Vista, point your phone, and watch archival photographs and 3D models appear on the exact spot they depict.

Every claim is traceable

Each chapter cites its BNA or ANA source code so you can look up the original photograph, document, or record yourself — no guesswork.

No app, no install, no login

Open kuentaheritage.com in Chrome on your phone. That's it. No App Store, no account, no download. Works on any modern Android or iOS device.

Oldest known view of Oranjestad — alive

Richard Bateman Lloyd's 1815 watercolour — the earliest surviving image of the town — brought to life as a Ken Burns cinematic record.

The experience

Designed for the moment you're standing there

The app was built for one-handed use at a heritage site, with large touch targets, dim-safe colours, and offline support so poor signal never interrupts the story.

Featured Experiences

Choose your entry point

Aerial view of Fort Zoutman, Aruba
Augmented Reality

Heritage AR Guide

Scan a printed marker at Fort Zoutman or Alto Vista Chapel to unlock 3D models of the 1868 and 1885 towers, archival photographs from BNA and ANA, and a cinematic intro to the Battle of Dogger Bank.

Open AR Guide
Alto Vista Chapel, Aruba
Cinematic Story

Alto Vista · La Historia

Five chapters, 1750–1952. From Domingo Antonio Silvestre's first chapel to the wartime vow of Sjon Kita — told through archival images and Hartog's documented history, in English and Papiamento.

Watch the Story
Cinematic Record

Lloyd 1815 — Oranjestad in Motion

Richard Bateman Lloyd's watercolour of Oranjestad harbour, rendered as a Ken Burns film. Fort Zoutman, the Commandeur's House, the Amistad — each named location comes into focus. BNA Map Collection.

Watch the Film

No app. No install.

How the AR Guide works

1

Print the marker

Download and print the site marker — a standard A4 or letter sheet works fine.

2

Open in Chrome

Visit kuentaheritage.com on your phone. No download, no login.

3

Point your camera

Allow camera access, aim at the printed marker, and history appears.

4

Tap to explore

Swipe through chapters, compare archival photos, and rotate 3D models.

Monument coverage

Sites in the guide

Fort Zoutman & Willem III Tower — Oranjestad AR · 1796
Alto Vista Chapel — Noord AR · 1750
Alto Vista · La Historia — cinematic five-chapter story Story
Lloyd 1815 — Oranjestad harbour, cinematic Ken Burns film Film · BNA

Common questions

Do I need to download an app?

No. Kuenta runs entirely in your phone's browser — Chrome on Android, Safari on iPhone. There is nothing to install, no account to create, and no payment ever required.

Which phones does the AR Guide work on?

The AR Guide works on Android phones running Chrome (version 80+) with camera access. iPhone support uses a WebXR fallback. The story and film experiences work on all modern phones and tablets — no camera required.

What sites are in the guide right now?

Currently Fort Zoutman & Willem III Tower (Oranjestad, est. 1798) and Alto Vista Chapel (Noord, est. 1750). The Lloyd 1815 cinematic film covers the earliest known view of Oranjestad harbour. More sites are in preparation.

Where do the historical sources come from?

Every chapter cites its primary archival source — photographs and documents from the Biblioteca Nacional Aruba (BNA), the Archivo Nacional Aruba (ANA), and Monumentenfonds Aruba (SMFA). The Lloyd 1815 watercolour is from the BNA Map Collection. Source codes are shown on-screen so you can verify the originals yourself.

Is Kuenta really free? What's the catch?

Completely free — no ads, no account, no in-app purchase. Kuenta is a heritage education project. There are no analytics trackers and no data is collected from visitors. The source code is open on GitHub.

Ready to explore Aruba's history?

Two heritage sites, 11 archival chapters, and a 200-year-old watercolour brought to life — all free, all in your browser.

Explore Heritage Sites
Open AR Guide  ·  Watch Lloyd 1815 Film  ·  Alto Vista Story