I visited The Louvre for the first time last May. As most visitors do, I waited in line to enter the Salle des Etats, was ushered through the room, caught a fleeting glimpse of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, then was forced cattle-style, shoulder to shoulder with no real control, out the door. At one point, I was shoved — full out, two-handed — by an elderly woman who seemed very angry with me, despite the fact I was not moving, and issued what I can only imagine was a string of insults in a language I didn’t understand.
As with much of what I saw at The Louvre, I didn’t have a chance to appreciate the moment, to observe the finer details (I was no closer than probably 15 or 20 feet at any point), and to really absorb the experience of standing before one of the most acclaimed works of art in the world.
But with a new virtual reality exhibit — the first at the hallowed museum — anyone anywhere in the world who has access to virtual reality equipment can experience da Vinci’s famed portrait in an in-depth way. They can enjoy the brushstrokes, learn more about the time in which she was created, and delve into the artist, the architecture, even the hairstyle.
All that is pretty incredible. Read more here.
