In El Segundo, art isn't just something you look at. It's something you walk through, live with, and now, interact with in entirely new ways. The city has long been a hub for creative expression, with vibrant street art and public installations that reflect the spirit of a community deeply connected to both culture and nature. Among its newest additions is Butterfly Lands, an AR public art installation that takes this connection to the next level.

Created by the Reality Experience Design team, Butterfly Lands emerged from a simple but powerful idea: what if public art could come alive? What if the butterflies that symbolize El Segundo's environmental heritage could float above the murals, dance around landmark signs, and invite people to step inside the art itself?

The project draws inspiration from the city's celebrated artistic legacy and one of its most meaningful environmental icons: the El Segundo blue butterflies. This rare species, native to the coastal dunes, has become a symbol of local restoration efforts and community pride. By weaving this natural heritage into an AR experience, Butterfly Lands bridges the gap between El Segundo's past and its innovative future.

Reality Experience Design partnered with El Segundo Art Walk (ESAW) and Snap Inc. to bring the vision to life. Using advanced AR technology accessible through smartphones and social media, they created an experience where digital butterflies appear above murals and public spaces during the city's annual art walk. Visitors simply scan, tap, and watch as butterflies emerge, transforming familiar El Segundo City Hall into an immersive, interactive canvas.

Butterfly Lands was one of 11 augmented reality experiences presented citywide, each adding a new layer to El Segundo's rich artistic landscape. The installation didn't just enhance the art walk; it redefined what public art could be. Attendees weren't just observers anymore. They became participants, capturing moments, sharing them, and discovering art in ways that felt personal and alive.

The response was remarkable. ESAW draws over 8,000 visitors and features more than 80 artists and musicians each year, and Butterfly Lands quickly became a highlight. The project resonated particularly with younger audiences, making art more discoverable and accessible. It showed how technology could amplify creativity rather than replace it, forging connections between local heritage, environmental themes, and digital innovation.

For El Segundo, Butterfly Lands is just the beginning. The city council and its partners envision a future with up to 25 AR pieces over the next five years, all contributing to a "living arts map" that locals and visitors can explore interactively. It's an ambitious vision, but one that feels natural for a city that has never been afraid to push boundaries.

As project collaborators describe it, AR "breaks barriers" and "creates a fourth dimension for art." Butterfly Lands proves this isn't just talk. It's a working example of how a city can honor its roots while embracing the future, how nature and technology can coexist beautifully, and how public art can evolve from something we admire from a distance into something we step inside and carry with us.

El Segundo is showing other cities what's possible when creativity meets innovation, one digital butterfly at a time.