Palace of Versailles holds first large-scale overseas digital exhibition in Shanghai

The Virtually Versailles Infinite Imagination-Versailles Tour Exhibition was launched in Shanghai Xintiandi Fashion on Feb 27.

This is the first large-scale digital exhibition held overseas by the Palace of Versailles.

Co-hosted by the Palace of Versailles in France and Shanghai Shangyuan Culture Communication Co Ltd, the exhibition will run till May 31 before touring eight other cities in China.

As the first stop of this tour, the Xintiandi exhibition covers an area of 2,000 square meters and is divided into 11 exhibition halls.

The exhibition uses a host of mediums such as 360-degree images, immersive interactive tours, interconnected bicycles and holographic images to showcase the major themes of the Palace of Versailles, including its iconic attractions and important historical moments.

According to Li Jinhui, general manager of Shangyuan Culture, the exhibition took two years to prepare and has brought together more than 600 digital technology and creative experts from seven countries.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the realistic construction process and digital restoration of the Palace of Versailles that was produced by the Google Foundation, Li said.

Benoit Guidée, the French Consul General in Shanghai, said that the exhibition is the first major event reflecting Sino-French cooperation in 2021 and marks a new milestone in cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Boasting a history of 360 years, the Palace of Versailles in France is known as one of the world's five largest palaces along with the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, the White House in the United States, and the Kremlin in Russia.