Cityneon’s First Foray into Artefacts IP Exhibition – Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru Brings the Ancient Andean Civilization Back to Life
SINGAPORE – 30 August 2021 – This October, visitors to the world’s premiere of the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition in Boca Raton, South Florida are set to be wowed, as they immerse themselves in the awe of the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu and embark on a fascinating journey with the ancient civilizations of Peru through a full-motion 360-degree all-round interactive Virtual Reality (VR) experience like never before. The early access online ticket portal is now open to the public at BocaMuseum.org/Golden.
With the exclusive approval granted by the Peruvian Government to fly drones through the magnificent site of Machu Picchu, Cityneon leveraged on the team’s state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology to capture the best-in-class cinematic and visual assets of the invaluable UNESCO World Heritage Site, to create an immersive experience consisting of outstanding virtual reality, sophisticated augmented reality system and in-person interaction elements.
To preserve this invaluable historical site, less than 1 million travellers are allowed entry into Machu Picchu every year. With the recent global pandemic situation, the need for social distancing and other measures, this number has further dipped to 250,000.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru aims to bring this rare UNESCO World Heritage site to people from all over the world virtually. This one-of-its-kind exhibition will showcase the first-ever virtual walk-through of Machu Picchu through the utilization of globally-acclaimed patented VR motion chairs fully equipped with premium multi-sensory stimulation features such as high-resolution six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) VR headsets, haptic feedback on the backseats, scent dispensers and unlimited 360-degree rotation, allowing visitors to travel back time to see, hear, feel and even smell the mysterious city in the sky. Visitors will journey through the vast expanse of Andean history alongside the mythical hero Ai Apaec, to discover the mysteries of Andean cosmology.
Besides the unique VR experience, the exhibition also features the largest Andean gold collection ever to travel the world. This new museum experience highlights a selection of 192 artefacts from royal tombs, including objects that belonged to noble Andean lords, many never seen out of Peru before.
One of the exhibition’s highlights is a fully intact gold attire of a Chimú Emperor that dates to 1300 AD. With their longevity and engineering only rivalled by the Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, the Andean societies dominated a substantial segment of South America for over 3,000 years straight through the reign of the Incan Empire.
Cityneon’s Executive Chairman & Group CEO Mr. Ron Tan said, “It’s enthralling for Cityneon to have the opportunity to present to new audiences these remarkable pieces of rare Andean artefacts. Cityneon’s strong track record of staging immersive experiences globally with record-breaking visitor numbers reflects our strength in delivering high-quality experiences to visitors from around the world. Through this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to come face-to-face with history in a way that has never been done before. With this exhibition, visitors can personally feel the magnificence of Machu Picchu like they are physically there, while exploring the ancient cultures who lived in this city 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains.”
“Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is an impressive and extensive exhibition that showcases the limitless potential of VR technology,” said Mr. Anthony Tann, President of World Heritage Exhibitions. “There are hundreds of ancient artefacts to admire, and I am excited to welcome visitors to experience this monumental period of human history through the lens of virtual reality. This exhibition was put together by many talented individuals and excellent technology, and I am certain it will be a memorable and enchanting experience for many to enjoy.”
In alignment to Cityneon’s corporate philosophy of “Big Ideas, Bigger Experiences”, the global experience entertainment company has put together an award-winning team behind this multi-million-dollar exhibition with one goal – to push limits and break boundaries to create the most immersive, breath-taking and realistic experience for audiences worldwide.
Cityneon currently partners with foreign governments, world-renowned museums, heritage organizations and major movie studios to hold exclusive IP exhibitions, creating iconic experiences for their visitors from all over the world. To date, the Group has toured their IP experiences in excess of 50 cities worldwide.
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is Cityneon’s first artefact IP exhibition, and is made possible with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Peruvian Government, and through a close collaboration with its valued partners, the Museo Larco and Inkaterra Asociación, the World Heritage Exhibitions and the Boca Rotan Museum of Art.
Cityneon Holdings
With its global reach and international partnerships, Cityneon has the capability to serve its clients anywhere in the world. Cityneon was listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Stock Exchange since 2005, and was privatized on February 2019 by West Knighton Limited, a company wholly owned by Cityneon’s Executive Chairman and Group CEO, Ron Tan, together with Hong Kong veteran entrepreneur and investor, Johnson Ko Chun Shun. Johnson is a capital markets veteran and has held controlling interests and directorships in many listed companies. In May 2019, Cityneon welcomed CITIC Capital as a new shareholder, who holds approximately 9% shares in Cityneon.
CITIC Capital is part of CITIC Group, one of China’s largest conglomerates, and has over US$29B of assets under its management across 100 funds and investment products globally. Other institutional shareholders of the Group include EDBI – a Singapore government-linked global investor, and Pavilion Capital – a Singapore-based investment institution which focuses on private equity investments, that made strategic investments to the Group in August and October 2019 respectively. In April 2021, Cityneon welcomed new investors Seatown Holdings International, Qatar’s Doha Venture Capital, which will now own approximately 4% of the Group, and other financial institutions and family offices, joining the already strong stable of shareholders to support the Group’s further expansion globally.
About World Heritage Exhibitions
World Heritage Exhibitions (WHE) is a worldwide leader in producing, promoting, and designing blockbuster exhibitions. WHE is renowned for producing the finest quality museum content that captivates, educates, and inspires visitors across the globe. With a combined 50-years of exhibition experience, the executive team is responsible for touring many of the world’s most valuable treasures, including objects from King Tutankhamun’s tomb, relics from Cleopatra’s Royal Palace, artifacts from the Titanic, items from the discovery of Pompeii, and more. Their exhibitions have now been enjoyed by over 30 million people, spanning six continents, and their collective expertise has come together in one of the most influential touring exhibition companies on the planet.
