Sequence & access, storytelling & archive in mobile augmented reality

When digitally reconstructing and displaying sequences of historical events in situ, a paradox may emerge: The sequence of actions might often benefit from in-depth information about historical context of various types. However, the moment the user embarks on a contextual digression to seek a better understanding, the sequence itself is abandoned and/or fragmented. How may we best combine sequence and access, storytelling and in-depth exploration to the benefit of rich locative cultural heritage experiences? In this paper we consult narrative theory to find a design and to implement the solution in three different reconstructions of historical events on location. These are selected from antiquity and World War II. We present the challenges and solutions so far, as well as feedback from visitors testing the situated simulation applications on location.