The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco unveiled a new virtual aquarium exhibition offering guests the opportunity to step inside the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet. The interactive exhibit named ‘IMMERSION’ is an attempt to raise awareness for ocean conservation and marine species protection from climate change.
Guests are immersed in a 360 degree underwater exhibition, which projects the Great Barrier Reef onto all four walls in real-time. Described as a “virtual replica” of the iconic Australian reef, the projection is a rare chance to meet all kinds of species. From fluorescent corals to humpback whales, you’re being invited into their very own habitat.
The aquatic projection covers 650m² or 60 sq feet or space with 60 species to discover. This advanced technology allows Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum to push the boundaries of what is possible, creating a link between humankind on earth and ecosystems under the sea.
Immersive exhibitions such as this have the power to offer us an enhanced level of interaction with life under the sea. Through a combination of real and computer-generated images, the experience comes to life and is described as “ultra-realistic”. Much like a diver on their exploration, different species can be seen moving naturally around the room and will communicate according to your behaviour, movements and gestures.
“We wish to offer a selection of the most beautiful diving moments in record time, to move and challenge the audience to consider the future of these ecosystems in danger,” says Eva Muller, Head of the Exhibition Department.
“It is a very ambitious system, with an unprecedented level of scientific rigour, scenaristic precision and fluidity of rendering,” says Olivier Ferracci from conceptual event company Dreamed By Us. “From this point of view, we can say that it is almost a world first.”
The exhibition opened July 18th and will be available to visit until December 2021. Visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco website for more info.
