The highly anticipated Dunhuang Splendors: Culture and Art Exhibition of Mogao Grottoes officially opened at Shenzhen Nanshan Museum on July 26, offering audiences across the Greater Bay Area an immersive journey into Dunhuang's millennia-spanning artistic legacy.
Positioned as South China's premier and most extensive Dunhuang cultural exhibition—featuring the largest collection of artifacts—this event generated exceptional pre-opening excitement. All 3,000 flash sale tickets and 20,000 early bird tickets sold out instantly upon release. Public interest has continued to surge since the general booking platform opened on July 21.
The exhibition showcases over 205 artifacts and sets—including six digitally reconstructed grottoes, four replica painted sculptures, over 60 meticulously reproduced murals, and more than 80 rare original artifacts.
By integrating physical treasures with immersive multimedia displays, this comprehensive presentation delivers a profound exploration of Dunhuang's enduring cultural legacy.
Visitors entering the exhibition are immediately captivated by six meticulously reconstructed grottoes. Among these, Caves 3 and 285 recreate normally inaccessible sites, while Cave 275 (Mogao's oldest) marks a historic milestone as the first digitally reproduced grotto in its entirety.
At the exhibition, visitors immerse themselves in a grand gathering of Dunhuang's cultural treasures, systematically tracing the artistic evolution of this Silk Road gem.
Beyond dazzling artifacts, the exhibition elevates visitor engagement through diverse immersive encounters. The Cave 285 digital experience—developed by the Dunhuang Academy and Tencent—transports audiences into an intricate mural universe, transcending physical and temporal barriers. Meanwhile, the AI interaction zone offers over 30 digitally rendered Dunhuang costumes, enabling visitors to capture mural-inspired portraits on-site and experience the dynamic elegance of ancient Silk Road attire.
Reporter: Zhang Siyu
Photo: Shenzhen Nanshan Museum
Editor: Wei Shen, James, Shen He
