Travelling exhibition Virtually Versailles

After highly successful runs in Singapore in 2018 (at the ION Orchard mall) and Shanghai in 2021 (at the Xintiandi Style mall) and Hong Kong and Macau in 2023, the Virtually Versailles immersive exhibition will once again be reaching out to international audiences at Hangzhou's Winland Center from May 2, 2024. 

A digital discovery

Designed as an introductory tour of the Palace, the Virtually Versailles immersive exhibition helps visitors discover the world of Versailles by using state-of-the-art technology to offer them an interactive and multisensory immersion into the world of the Palace and its Estate. The Palace of Versailles’ aim is to host the Virtually Versailles exhibition in different parts of the world, so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to discover Versailles, its history and its collections.

The tour begins by exploring the history of diplomatic relations between China and France since the 17th century. 

Introduction

As they pass through the virtual gates of the Palace, visitors are greeted by the voice of Louis XIV and immersed in the world of Versailles from the very first moment they enter the exhibition. Recreated by scientists from Voxygen and historians from the Palace of Versailles on the initiative of the BETC agency, this synthesized voice enables the Sun King to express himself more than 300 years after his death. 

The sensory experience continues with the diffusion of a unique perfume, Royal Delight, inspired by Louis XIV's favorite flower, the orange blossom, created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian exclusively for the Palace of Versailles. Virtual puzzles will give visitors a historical and iconographic overview of the great figures and events that marked the history of France from the 17th to the 19th century, while photobooths will enable them to slip into the shoes of historical figures by adapting the portraits to their faces, giving them an immersive experience.

Time travel

3D reconstructions will recount the construction of the Palace of Versailles and its gardens, from Louis XIII's hunting lodge in 1623 to the contemporary bosquet of the Water Theater. Visitors will be able to appreciate the evolution, complexity and diversity of the estate.

Nature and Versailles

This part of the exhibition allows visitors to immerse themselves in the gardens of Versailles, home to the world's largest outdoor sculpture museum. Using connected bicycles and screens, visitors can take an interactive tour of the gardens' most emblematic sites, from the Great Perspective to the Queen's Hamlet and the gardens of the Grand Trianon.

Art and Innovation 

A symbol of French art since the 17th century, the Palace of Versailles boasts one of France's largest collections, with some 72,000 paintings, sculptures and works of art. In this section, visitors will be invited to discover four emblematic artistic disciplines of Versailles in an innovative way: sculpture, thanks to 3D scans of the most emblematic statues in the gardens; architecture, thanks to a virtual reality experience enabling visitors to wander through the grand apartments; painting, thanks to gigapixel technology enabling visitors to discover the finest details of the works; and dance, thanks to the availability of the Just Dance game “A night at the Palace of Versailles”. 

The Splendours of Versailles

This section is a spectacular 360-degree view conveying the most iconic parts of Versailles. Thanks to LED screens, some of the most famous rooms in the royal residence – such as the Mercury Room, Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Opera House and the Gallery of Battles – have been recreated as complete immersive experiences.

The Queen's intimacy

In this section, visitors will discover emblematic portraits and unusual anecdotes about Marie-Antoinette, before entering one of the most intimate areas of the Trianon estate: the Théâtre de la Reine. The “Mysterious Forest”, one of the sets in this theater reserved for the Queen and her guests, will be recreated, and a theatrical performance of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Le Devin du village will be projected inside.

A Day at Versailles

Like an invitation to come to Versailles, the last space will feature a 180° projection evoking the magic of a day at the estate. Perspectives, interior views, shows, fountains and fireworks have been filmed in ultra-high definition for this final panoramic projection.

a concert by the royal opera of the palace of versailles

On May 2, 2024, the Royal Opera Orchestra concludes its Asian tour with the inaugural Virtually Versailles concert at Hangzhou's Winland Center. Comprising some fifty instrumentalists and conducted by conductor Victor Jacob, the Orchestra will present orchestral pieces by Philidor and Charpentier, and accompany soprano Chloé Chaume in famous arias from operas by Hector Berlioz (Les Nuits d'été and Béatrice et Bénédict) and Ambroise Thomas (Mignon), as well as pianist Yves Henri in Jules Massenet's Piano Concerto.

practical informations

The exhibition is open from May 2 to October 8, 2024. 

Address: level - 1 of the Winland Center 350 Xiangjisi Rd., Hangzhou.

An exhibition on tour

Current event: Virtually Versailles - Hangzhou
Dates : from May 2, 2024
Venue: Winland Center, Level -1, 350 Xiangjisi Rd.

Past event: Virtually Versailles – Macao 
Dates: from 28 July
Venue: Grand Lisboa Palace Resort, as part of the Art Macao international art biennale.

Past event: Virtually Versailles – Hong Kong
Dates: from 19 April to 9 July 2023
Venue: Hong Kong Heritage Museum Thematic Galleries 3–5
Jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the French May Arts Festival
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Palace of Versailles
With the major support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

Past event: Virtually Versailles – Shanghai 
Dates: 28 February to 15 June 2021
Venue: Xintiandi Style Mall
Made possible thanks to the patronage of the Michelin Corporate Foundation

Past event: Virtually Versailles – Singapore
Dates: 30 November 2018 to 6 January 2019
Venue: Ion Orchard Mall
Made possible thanks to the patronage of the Michelin Corporate Foundation

Rabbids @ Virtually Versailles 

This app is exclusively playable in Macau at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort, offering visitors of Virtually Versailles a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a world full of fun and excitement!