The National Palace Museum has announced a comprehensive revamp of its online museum to allow anyone to freely enjoy a wide range of exhibitions without needing to visit in person. Launched in 2023, the online museum offers a virtual reality (VR) experience that vividly recreates the permanent exhibition halls operated by the museum, complete with photos, audio guides, and videos to enhance visitor understanding of royal artifacts.
The updated online museum is divided into six categories: Permanent Exhibitions, Special Exhibitions, Multimedia Books, Top 100 Artifacts, Royal Seals of the Joseon Dynasty, and Games. In the Permanent Exhibitions section, visitors can explore seven exhibition rooms (Joseon Kings, Royal Life, Korean Empire, Royal Carriages, Court Paintings, Royal Ceremonies, and Scientific Culture) in VR.
Special Exhibitions provide insights into past special exhibitions at the museum, such as “Court Cuisine: A Table of Respect and Sharing” and the “Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in Augmented Reality.” Certain exhibitions, such as “The Makeup of Princess Hwaryeong,” are recreated in virtual spaces for closer inspection of the artifacts.
The Multimedia Book section features content based on the museum’s published artifact catalogues. The first theme, “Encounters with the West: Modern Palaces,” includes immersive experiences with lighting and modern living artifacts in palaces using videos and pop-up books.
A web VR space also recreates the Seokjojeon of Deoksugung Palace, where users can interact with lighting fixtures and view 3D photos of items like a porcelain patterned water bottle in the empress’s bedroom. Visitors can also simulate setting up a banquet meal in the grand dining room.
Additionally, “Top 100 Artifacts” provides vivid 3D images and illustrations of important artifacts selected by the museum. The “Royal Seals of the Joseon Dynasty” features the construction, materials, and sealing process of royal seals, alongside over 300 royal seals of Joseon kings and queens listed on a dynasty chart.
New game content leverages royal artifacts for activities such as “Spot the Difference,” which challenges users to find discrepancies between two court paintings across varying difficulty levels, and “Match the Shadow,” where players identify original images based on their shadows.