When someone visits a cemetery, the hope is that their visit will be tranquil and that the peaceful environment will allow them to feel close to the ones they are missing. But it can be hard to feel that tranquility when stress arises, as it might if that person were unable to find their loved ones. Cemeteries can stretch on for acres, which means that if you don’t know where to go, you may end up wandering for quite some time. While the walk may be beautiful, it can also be frustrating if you’re spending the day looking for your loved one rather than spending it with them.
Often, cemeteries provide maps for visitors, which hopefully alleviates this issue. However, who among us prints out a paper map before we journey to a new destination, like we might have done a few decades ago? Paper maps gave way to GPS devices, which have, in turn, been replaced by the handy apps on our phones that can always tell us which way to go. This change has also come in cemeteries.
Digital Maps and Cemeteries
Today, several companies offer digital cemetery mapping technology. Through this software, cemeteries are able to turn their paper maps into more interactive digital maps that guests can simply access on their phones. This new technology means that fewer people need to rely on requesting paper maps from cemetery staff.
With a paper map, if you had asked to find a specific location on the map, a staff member might have marked the spot on the paper and given you verbal directions on how to get there. While certainly helpful, verbal directions can be forgotten or misconstrued along the way, especially in larger cemeteries. Many of these digital maps allow guests to simply type in the name of their loved one, and the map will provide steps for them to take to get there.
Virtual Tours in and Outside of Cemeteries
Digital maps also open the door for virtual tours in multiple ways. For starters, a cemetery can create a tour that exists online. Those interested in preplanning can use the tour to locate where they may want to be laid to rest. If a cemetery has notable figures or interesting features, it may also use the online tour for potential visitors to learn about the cemetery before they visit.
An online tour can also complement an in-person tour and spare the need for an in-person tour guide. Using augmented reality software, visitors can explore the grounds of the cemetery while their phones highlight interesting information and noteworthy gravesites.
Digital Memorials in Online Spaces
These online spaces, with digital maps and virtual tours, also create a single location to store all information about those who are buried there. Some cemeteries choose to use this technology to also keep digital memorials. Digital memorials are online spaces where people can come to commemorate and remember their loved one, even if they can’t visit their gravesite in person. These memorials often include the location of their final resting place, their obituary, and other information about them and their families, as well as tributes to their memory from those who loved them.