ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the collaborative creation of the award-winning and highly innovative exhibition that included a gallery exhibition, physical replicas and a virtual immersive experience which aimed to take visitors on a journey that simulated the real experience of visiting the Magao Grottoes. The Mogao Grottoes is located in the stark desert landscape of Northwest China near the ancient town of Dunhuang, a cosmopolitan hub on the Silk Road. Digital technology enabled visitors to be immersed in a narrated guided tour of the stunning wall paintings and sculpture of Cave 45, similar to what a visitor might experience in a tour of the actual Cave 45. This replication of a visit to a Dunhuang cave temple was a highlight of the Getty Center exhibition. The exhibition was designed with three major components. One component was an exhibit in the Getty Research Institute galleries that featured over 40 artefacts discovered in 1900 in the famed Library Cave of the Mogao Grottoes.
