VR project brings the Palace Museum's grandeur to life in digital form

A first for the Palace Museum: Launching a VR-driven program

In October 2003, the Palace Museum's Institute for Digital Cultural Heritage was established with the launch of its very first virtual reality experience – The Forbidden City: Palace of the Son of Heaven.

This pioneering, movie-like VR project let audiences soar like birds over the grand Forbidden City, from the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian'an Men) to the majestic Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) and even the whole palace. Visitors could explore the palace's vast spatial order and intricate decorative paintings through immersive movement and shifting viewpoints – experiencing centuries of imperial grandeur, brought to life in digital form.