Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia has opened at the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) in Victoria, alongside a short 3D documentary of the same name at the museum’s IMAX theatre.
The new exhibit takes visitors through the rise, fall and resilience of ancient Angkor through 120 original artifacts, many never seen before in Canada. Many of the artifacts will be part of immersive displays and hands-on experiences throughout the exhibit.
Some of the aspects the exhibit are the tools of archaeology, decoding to aerial surveying and laser scanning, knowledge about engineering, the life of its people, and the environmental challenges that shaped its future.
“We’re delighted to welcome this enlightening exhibition and documentary movie to the Royal BC Museum,” said museum CEO Alicia Dubois. “Together, they enable visitors to explore the extraordinary creativity, complexity and resilience of the Khmer culture. The original artifacts and artworks on show are astounding and there are lots of interactive features for visitors to get their hands on.”
Angkor used to be considered the most extensive metropolis in the world, but the decline of the city had been shrouded in mystery.
Recently, scientific and technological advances have enabled ongoing research to provide new insight into this ancient civilization.
“This exhibition demonstrates how modern science and research helps us to not only understand more about our past, but also serves to preserve our heritage and guide our future,” Dubois said.
The captivating exhibit was developed by Museums Partner in Austria in collaboration with the California Science Centre, where it made its world debut last year. International supporters of the exhibit have been the National Museum of Cambodia and the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.
The duration of the exhibit and film showing at the RBCM will be from June 2 to Jan. 14.
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