Eight centuries have passed since Chinggis Khaan established Kharkhorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire, in 1220. For the 801st anniversary of Kharkhorum, exhibits of the Mongolian Empire Hall of the National Museum of Mongolia have been modernized with interactive contents of the “Zev” Digital Museum.
The “Zev” Digital Museum develops immersive experiences to promote the Mongolian history and cultural heritage in a unique and interesting way, using the virtual and augmented reality technology (VR and AR). Based on physical artifacts from the 13th and 14th century displayed in the hall, the Mifox Animation Studio team is giving people the opportunity to experience life during the Mongol Empire through VR and AR.
The exhibition features a virtual city modeled by the actual Kharkhorum city based on maps and remains of the city, giving users the impression that they are in the ancient city physically. VR allows users to travel the simulated virtual environment using a special headset. With 3D digital shapes and 5.01 surround audio feeding the visual and aural senses, you can walk around, interact, and even teleport into the ancient capital of Mongolia while experiencing the lifestyle, culture and more.
At the digital museum, people can listen to detailed explanations and watch video contents on symbolism and historical traditions of ancient Mongolian ger, hunting tools, ornaments, weapons, livestock equipment, flags, Mongolian ger tereg (yurt on cart), coins, and exhibits related to building decoration in AR technology.
Researcher of the National Museum of Mongolia D.Sodnomjamts clarified, “In the future, other halls and exhibitions will be digitized. The ‘Zev’ Digital Museum started preparing this work two years ago and it took five months to unveil the exhibits in the hall.” Head of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture B.Davaatseren noted, “The National Museum of Mongolia always takes surveys and provides appropriate services. The Ministry of Culture initiated a law to improve the legal environment for museums, which was later enacted by Parliament. The essence of this law is that it recognizes a museum is a space for human development and plays an important role in social development. One of the great examples of local museums trying to introduce new services in line with global trends is the National Museum of Mongolia’s latest renewal of its exhibits.”
Customers can view videos with detailed information on exhibits with the help of the “Zev” mobile application or use a VR-compatible tablet available in the hall. There are a total of 247 exhibits in the Mongolian Empire Hall, most of which have been digitized. The museum offers free services to children and charges 10,000 MNT for an adult, but it’s possible to get a discount for family visits.
The Mongolian Empire Hall comprises two sections: One is dedicated to the period before Chinggis Khaan and developments during his lifetime, the other focuses on the Mongolian Empire under the rule of his successors. The Mongolian Empire was founded in the 13th and 14th centuries by military expansion and is recorded to have stretched from Siberia in the north to South Asia in the north, and from the Korean peninsula in the east to Bulgaria in the west. Mongolians conquered more than 50 countries spread over a vast distance. The Mongolian Empire contained many people of different ethnic origins, religions, history and languages, as cited in historic records. To learn more about the Mongol Empire, make sure to stop by the National Museum of Mongolia, located west of the State Palace.
