BEIJING: Imagine birds flying, flowers blooming and streams flowing, all in a digital panorama. As the holographic “scroll” unfolds, the “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains,” a masterpiece from more than 600 years ago, comes to life in a 5-meter-high, 40-meter-long display at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou.
“I’ve visited many museums, but this experience is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s like stepping into the painting itself,” remarked a visitor surnamed Chen, enthralled by the experience.
This immersive digital exhibition is just one example of how Chinese museums are innovating. These institutions are redefining the visitor experience by integrating technologies such as digital twins, virtual reality (VR) and 3D with the naked eye. Visitors can “return” to historical sites and interact with ancient civilizations as if they were present.
Visitors to the Dunhuang Digital Immersive Exhibition Hall at the Mogao Grottoes in northwest China’s Gansu Province can wear VR glasses when “entering” the caves and “travel” back more than 1,400 years to experience the wonderful world of wall paintings.
Mogao Cave 285, which is usually closed to the public, now welcomes visitors in this innovative way.
Excavated during the Western Wei Dynasty, this early cave boasts well-preserved wall paintings that vividly illustrate the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western culture. It is an important representative of the cave art and cultural heritage of Dunhuang.
Dunhuang Academy, in collaboration with Chinese internet giant Tencent, used 3D modeling and VR to create a highly accurate 1:1 digital replica of Cave 285, complete with a high-fidelity model with ultra-high-resolution surface colors.
Wearing VR gear allows visitors to view the murals up close, explore the details of the cave in 360 degrees, and even “ascend” to the ceiling of the cave to immerse themselves in the narrative of the murals.
Using these technologies to rejuvenate ancient caves provides a truly sustainable approach to the protection and revitalization of cultural heritage, said Zhang Yati, CEO of Tencent.
While VR technology immerses individuals in a completely artificial digital realm, augmented reality (AR) technology integrates virtual components with the tangible world, offering visitors a harmonious fusion of virtual and physical experiences.
Visitors to the Chengdu Museum in southwest China’s Sichuan Province wearing AR glasses and standing in front of the exhibition will see pop-up images, descriptions and videos explaining the exhibition.
By downloading a specific app to their smartphones, visitors can use an AR navigation tool that projects virtual routes onto a real-world map, providing a quick and intuitive way to their destinations.
The app even offers virtual guides at selected locations. By simply scanning selected content, visitors can “summon” a virtual tour guide that offers detailed insights and explanations about the exhibits that capture their curiosity.
In addition to innovative methods of display and interaction, many museums across the country have recently adopted technologies such as metaverse and digital twinning to create compelling online museums that are accessible through websites and mini-programs.
The Xi’an Museum in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province has partnered with an internet company to create a meta-versal 3D interactive space inspired by the museum’s renowned “Wangchuan Villa” collection, a celebrated Chinese painting depicting the picturesque private residence of Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei. with real-time cloud rendering, generative AI and high-resolution 3D modeling technologies.
By accessing the online metaversion space through their smartphones or computers, visitors can step into the roles of characters from “Wangchuan Villa” and embark on a deeply engaging journey through the landscape.
With each new scene they encounter, the digital environment reveals detailed narration and Wang Wei’s poetic verses, offering a multi-sensory exploration of his artistic legacy.
