Getty’s “Persepolis Reimagined” virtual online experience (part of the “Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World” exhibit in 2022) curated by Timothy Potts, Jeffrey Spier, and Sara E. Cole
Reviewed by Stacy Rose Henning, B.A., MLIS student, hensr75@gmail.com.
Approaching the ancient site of Persepolis and walking up the entrance steps, one is immediately humbled and overwhelmed by the largesse and beauty of the monument. Tall limestone walls protect the various buildings inside the site walls. But wait – isn’t Persepolis in ruins from its fiery destruction in 330 BCE and the ravages of time? Yes, that’s true, but by taking a virtual tour online using modern-day technology, one is transported back in time to the reconstructed palace on a hillside of southern Iran.
As digitization of museum, archives, and library collections increases, I was interested in taking an immersive virtual tour of Persepolis to explore what is possible and how effective an online interactive exhibit can be. By entering the website portal (https://persepolis.getty.edu/) of the reimagined Persepolis grounds, I was treated to a feast for the eyes as I ‘walked’ through the different rooms and courtyards. For people who have an interest in history, archaeology, or cultural anthropology, but can’t visit Persepolis in person, this virtual means of exploration is a valid way of scratching that itch.
The exhibit was created and maintained by The Getty, a privately funded two-site (Getty Center and Getty Villa) museum located in California. The J. Paul Getty Trust operates both locations, which house some of the most valuable art and artifacts in America. In 2022, The Getty put on the exhibition “Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World”, and the online virtual tour “Persepolis Reimagined” is an extension of this exhibit.
Entering the exhibit’s exploration portal online, ancient-sounding music plays in the background to set the scene. As I followed the prompts on the screen, introductory information is presented to set the stage for the experience via Persepolis’ size, date and purpose. The website does an excellent job of placing icons to zoom out and view the complex from a drone-type overhead view for reference and scale. There are also icons to click that allow me to jump to other locations in the exhibit. Sections that are included in the virtual site visit are numbered one through six, and you can hop to different sections non-sequentially, but I would not recommend this.
Towards the left side of the building complex, I approach the 111 steps which lead to the Gate of All Nations (Section 1). Scrolling down, I virtually move through the gate flanked by two colorful bull statues, through the columned interior, and then through the Iamassu statues guarding the palace’s interior.
I am given the option to see a view of what the statues look like in the present day and their imperial iconographical influences- Iranian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek architecture as well as the trilingual inscriptions (Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian languages) throughout the palace. I click to hear the spoken English translation of the inscriptions. So far, I am impressed by the easy navigation and explanatory aspects of the exhibit. The content in the clickable buttons serves as a virtual docent of sorts, providing information on specific features of the palace.
For Section 2 (Apadana), I continue ‘walking’ through a large courtyard with an imposing audience hall opposite. Relief sculptures of envoys from the empire’s 23 nations decorate this staircase entrance to the hall, as well as an inscription on the stairway which declares Xerxes as the builder of Apadana and praises the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda.
As I navigate up the entrance stairs, I am informed that the sculptural delegations illustrate real-life visiting envoys who brought the king gifts of native tributes. Once inside the great hall, 72 red sixty-foot columns overwhelm me. It is a dark red room, the only light furnished by a few doorways and fire sconces on some columns. I learn that opulent royal feasts took place here, with courtiers using gold and silver vessels, drinking horns, and decorated wine jars. Clicking on the info button, more information on banquets is provided.
The Palace of Xerxes is the third section of the virtual walkthrough. The tour begins in a courtyard and the entrance to the building itself is similarly a sculpted staircase, displaying reliefs of bulls and lions in combat, the Persian Guard, and tribute bearers. Colors of red, blue, brown, yellow, orange and green are used on the stair reliefs. The Palace held royal feasts, which featured riches such as gold and silver vessels, drinking horns, and decorated wine jars. I click for more information about these banquets. Photos of found items are presented along with short explanations of each.
The fourth section of the virtual tour of the Persepolis complex is the Southeastern Palace, the private royal residence. The buildings are much shorter in height than the others and feel cozy in comparison, accentuated by a virtual open-air courtyard filled with trees, small shrubs, and plants as well as birdsong. The greenery alone would absorb some of the noise found in other areas of the citadel. This structure’s didactic experience focuses upon Persian court dress, which allows me to see the elaborate finery that was worn in the time period.
The Royal Treasury is the fifth section of the virtual tour. This was the oldest structure and was used as an armory and storehouse, necessitating two entries.
The sixth and last section of the virtual tour is the Hall of 100 Columns. Close in size to Apadana, the audience hall was eventually used as an extension of the treasury nearby.
The tour ends with Persepolis’ fall to Alexander the Great of Macedonia in 330 BCE, when it was subsequently burned and looted. I click on an icon to learn more about the recovery of this ancient site. Images of the complex present-day show rubble of the many columns, and royal tombs. The ruins of Persepolis are a source of pride for today’s Iranians. Archaeological digs began there in the 1930s, and in 1979 it was given protection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Prior to this article, I had not gone on an immersive virtual reality museum exhibit. I was aware that during and post-Covid, museums, archives, and libraries were making more of their collections available online since in-person visits were unavailable for the time being. I located a number of other virtual reality tours of historic sites as well as museums integrating VR into their collections, which I am interested in exploring now that I have experienced the online Persepolis exhibit via The Getty. One website that hosts a variety of AR VR site tours is Cyark (https://www.cyark.org/3dvirtualtours/), while Google Arts and Culture offers VR access to many global museums and exhibits (such as The Louvre in Paris, The Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the VanGogh Museum in Amsterdam). Other cultural institutions are also hosting VR experiences, such as The Canterbury Tales Immersive Exhibit at St. Margaret’s Church in Canterbury, UK.
The digitized tour of Persepolis allowed me to explore a site I will never visit in person. Due to strict Iranian travel regulations and current geopolitics, not many people can currently tour the Persepolis ruins, which is one reason why an exhibit like this is popular and effective: accessibility.1 VR tours are a bridge of access for those of curious mind who face obstacles to travel themselves. A second reason this VR tour works is that it attracts different audiences. From history buffs and travelers to students and the curious, the historical site can still be a learning tool from half a world away. A third positive of a site exhibit via VR is that virtual visitors leave no wear and tear on the physical site. As tourism continues to increase globally, cultural and heritage sites may need to embrace VR as a way to protect and preserve sites.
Constantly evolving advancements in technology allow VR tours of historic sites. This includes the quick progression and capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as digitization tools such as 3D scanning, LiDAR, photogrammetry, and video game development engines. Software that supports these tools allows for digital information to be integrated with historical sites or institutions in constantly improving methods.
The interactive experiences on the virtual Persepolis tour presented deeper dives about certain aspects of the building complex; the clickable information buttons acted rather like a docent, presenting additional information at specific waypoints. Photos of specific finds (pottery, jewelry, etc.) and explanations about their purposes at Persepolis enhanced the tour experience by providing context of ancient use. Touring the site virtually as a recreated site allows the viewer to more easily imagine what Persepolis would have looked like and how it functioned 2500 years ago, something that is simply not possible at the physical locale.
However, VR exhibits also face headwinds. One of the issues that must be considered for an institution to create a VR tour like this one is that of funding.2 In an era when funds for museums and cultural institutions are dwindling, private funding is the best option (in this case, The Getty is well covered.) Other fundraising initiatives can include endowments, grants, academic support, and general fundraising, but with many countries experiencing economic instability, these can’t necessarily be relied upon, unfortunately. Another issue with the use of immersive VR for historical and archaeological sites is the storytelling itself; exhibit curators need to fill in many informational gaps for people taking the VR tour, but they mustn’t cross the ethical line and start creating a fictitious narrative of the site. Possible scenarios can be suggested, but unless backed by valid sources, should not be presented as absolute truth. Lastly, the issue of accessibility presents as a double-edged sword. As mentioned above, a VR site tour can reach many more people than a physical site alone, enlarging the participant audience. However, there is also a downside to accessibility. Created using specific computer hardware versions, will the VR site tour still be accessible online a decade from now when technology has advanced? Will the tour need constant updating? Will ‘visitors’ using an outdated home computer or slow Wi-Fi connection still be able to access the tour if the systems aren’t compatible? For an example of this issue already presenting itself, I was able to locate a few inaccessible VR tours which stated they were ‘no longer available.’3 Museums, cultural institutions, and heritage sites have a lot of things to consider when deciding on whether to create an immersive online VR site tour.
Coming from a background in libraries and archives, I am aware that people in the museum and library fields have complex and conflicting opinions about certain technologies, especially AI. Some fear that technology could remove the human from humanities fields. However, there is an increasing demand to experience cool, cutting-edge experiences in virtual worlds, and the museum/archives/library sectors need to start (or continue) embracing new ways to reach a larger audience. Fear of adaptation needs to be squashed, and employees in these sectors need to be informed and learn about the benefits of AI usage. Younger people want to experience something novel and modern (think Instagrammable selfies), not simply walk around a cold museum with items behind protective plexiglass. Globally, cultural institutions are currently attempting to pull in younger and wider audiences. I believe the advancements and implementation of technology-based cultural heritage outreach is the future for the historical and cultural sectors. An expansion of access, meeting audiences in new and interesting ways, will bring collections and historic sites to life in a way that inspires people to experience, appreciate, and preserve these gems.
I found the online immersive exhibit of the Persepolis complex by The Getty to be highly effective as an example of what can be accomplished when technology meets historical preservation and education. The experience was top-notch: from the ethereal soundtrack to the presentation of structures and information, I walked away from my desk with an effective image of the site and basic understanding of its role in Iran’s history. I would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in the ancient world to take this VR tour and see for themselves what may be the future of public humanities in museum and historic site exhibitions. Hopefully in the near future, we will see more VR exhibits and experiences in cultural institutions.
Notes
1. Amy Isaacson. 2014. “How Museums Use Virtual Reality to Reach New Audiences”. The VR Collective. July 12 2024. https://thevrcollective.com/how-museums-use-virtual-reality-to-reach-new-audiences/
2. Marcia Spicer. “Digitization of Museums: Transforming Experience in the Digital Age”. Anderson Archival. https://andersonarchival.com/blog/digitization-of-museums/
3. See, e.g., the Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau Virtual Tour: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/pu-uhonua-o-honaunau-tour.htm
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