How to visit the first Apple Store in AR

On May 19, 2001, Apple opened its first two retail stores — one in Tyson's Corner, Virginia, the other in Glendale, California.

Twenty years later, a new AR experience gives users the chance to explore a highly detailed Apple Tysons Corner model as though they were walking through the aisles of the very first Apple Store.

The model can be accessed at 9to5Mac and viewed on either an iPad or an iPhone. Users will need to open the link in Safari on an iPhone or iPad and find a suitable, well-lit area to place the model.

Once placed, users can move their devices around the model to explore the store. Sections include a Theater section, software displays, checkout kiosks, and more.

We can confirm that the model is surprisingly accurate, down to the number and color of Macs on each table — as we were there at opening, and one of our staffers has lived in the area through all of the store's renovations since. The artwork on the walls and window displays are true to the era, as well.

Even the third-party software titles housed on the shelves are the same as one would find in an Apple Store of the time.

Along with Apple Glendale Galleria that opened three hours later, Apple Tyson's Corner would change the way many retailers would sell electronics and software. More than 500 fans lined up at the Tysons store starting at pre-dawn that first day. Over the weekend, Tysons and Glendale hosted over 7500 visitors and sold a combined $599,000 in products over the first two days.

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