Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be accessible through the first-ever virtual walkthrough that is organised by Cityneon, a global experience entertainment company based in Singapore.
The one-of-a-kind exhibition called “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru” will use virtual reality (VR) motion chairs fully equipped with premium multi-sensory stimulation features such as high-resolution six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) VR headsets, haptic feedback on the backseats, scent dispensers and unlimited 360-degree rotation.
Cityneon’s first artefact IP exhibition will open at Boca Raton, South Florida this October.
VR technology will allow visitors to travel back time to see, hear, feel and even smell the mysterious city in the sky. Visitors will journey through the vast expanse of Andean history alongside the mythical hero Ai Apaec, to discover the mysteries of Andean cosmology.
"It's enthralling for Cityneon to have the opportunity to present to new audiences these remarkable pieces of rare Andean artefacts. Our strong track record of staging immersive experiences globally with record-breaking visitor numbers reflects our strength in delivering high-quality experiences to visitors from around the world,” said Ron Tan, executive chairman and group CEO of Cityneon.
Cityneon currently partners with foreign governments, world-renowned museums, heritage organisations and major movie studios to hold exclusive IP exhibitions, creating iconic experiences for their visitors from all over the world. To date, the Group has toured their IP experiences in excess of 50 cities worldwide.
"Through this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to come face-to-face with history in a way that has never been done before. With this exhibition, visitors can personally feel the magnificence of Machu Picchu like they are physically there while exploring the ancient cultures who lived in this city 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains,” Tan added.
Besides Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru, the company has secured IP rights to other major historical artefacts. “Ramses The Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs” will be coming to Houston, Texas in November 2021.
Cityneon aims to engage with audiences in over 70 cities around the world and expects to welcome 10 million unique global visitors per year to visit their experiences worldwide by 2022.
Using drones to capture visual assets
The Peruvian Government has allowed Cityneon to fly drones through the magnificent site of Machu Picchu to capture cinematic and visual assets, that would allow the company to create an immersive experience consisting of outstanding virtual reality, sophisticated augmented reality system and in-person interaction elements.
Cityneon has put together an award-winning team behind this multi-million-dollar exhibition with one goal - to push limits and break boundaries to create the most immersive, breath-taking and realistic experience for audiences worldwide.
The VR exhibition would allow more people the experience the invaluable historical site, where less than a million travellers are allowed to enter every year. Indeed, with the pandemic and social distancing measures, the number of visitors has been drastically cut to 250,000 a year.
"Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is an impressive and extensive exhibition that showcases the limitless potential of VR technology," said Anthony Tann, president of World Heritage Exhibitions. "There are hundreds of ancient artefacts to admire, and I am excited to welcome visitors to experience this monumental period of human history through the lens of virtual reality. This exhibition was put together by many talented individuals and excellent technology, and I am certain it will be a memorable and enchanting experience for many to enjoy."
Besides the unique VR experience, the exhibition also features the largest Andean gold collection ever to travel the world. This new museum experience highlights a selection of 192 artefacts from royal tombs, including objects that belonged to noble Andean lords, many never seen out of Peru before.
One of the exhibition's highlights is a fully intact gold attire of a Chimú Emperor that dates to 1300 AD. With their longevity and engineering only rivalled by Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, the Andean societies dominated a substantial segment of South America for over 3,000 years straight through the reign of the Incan Empire.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is Cityneon's first artefact IP exhibition and is made possible with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Peruvian Government, and through close collaboration with its valued partners, the Museo Larco and Inkaterra Asociación, the World Heritage Exhibitions and the Boca Rotan Museum of Art.
