jay-smith-uk@hotmail.co.uk.
Best regards
Jay Smith
http://www.financefinder.org/
Explore Ancient Athens at the ?Tholos?, the interactive museum of the future
Opened in spring 2006, The Tholos is a groundbreaking new
museum that, through the application of state-of-the-art
technology, allows the visitor to immerse themselves in
ancient Greek history like never before. With the aim of
both educating and entertaining The Tholos is billed as a
bold new type of museum, offering a unique, interactive
experience that will take spectators to the heart of
ancient Athens. Funded by the EU and sponsored by the
National Bank of Greece the Tholos is seen as an attraction
that will boost tourism and the local economy at the same
time as advancing a better knowledge of ancient Greece.
The "Tholos" is the Foundation of the Hellenic World's
(FHW) new dome-shaped Virtual Reality "Theatre" based in
the cultural centre of "Hellenic World" on Pireos street.
It is a building of progressive architectural design and
unique technological infrastructure, which establishes a
new era in the use of virtual multimedia for teaching
purposes, whilst at the same time it preserves and promotes
historical knowledge.
The digital shows hosted in the interactive programme have
as a point of reference the "Agora" of ancient Athens (i.e.
the ancient Greek market in Athens) and offer a novel
approach in the educational process. In an attempt to
present a consistent and scientifically accurate image of
the ancient "Agora", the scientists, researchers and
artists of the Foundation have developed a trilogy; "An
interactive walk in the ancient Agora of Athens", "An act
in the ancient Agora" and "Athens in the ancient Agora".
The virtual projects, each having a production cost of 2-3
million euros, take us back to the period between the 5th
and 3rd century BC. Athens was at the peak of its cultural
and financial prosperity at that time when philosophical
ideas where flourishing and humanitarian values such as
justice, equality and freedom of speech were first being
conceived. The spectator has many ways of experiencing the
virtual world. He is not only able to choose the next step
but also to take part in fun activities designed for the
younger audiences. Such games include giving a speech in
front of fellow citizens of Athens and taking part in the
election process or even being elected themselves! Having
fun is as important as the educational attributes of these
productions. The viewer can learn of how the principles of
law and governance have been transformed from the ancient
times to the present and how they are applied in modern
Athens and other parts of the world.
The "Tholos" has a capacity of 130 people and its
architectural characteristics, in particular the
semi-spherical projection surface, are reminiscent of a
planetarium. However, unlike a planetarium, the show is
highly interactive. A plethora of alternative scenarios is
offered, all based on the same virtual model, which can be
controlled in real-time by visitors who can choose the next
step of the navigation. In this way the whole experience
becomes uniquely direct, flexible and dynamic, thus
amplifying the viewers feeling of immersion into the
virtual world. The financial cost of such productions is
indeed high. The cost has been funded in part by the
European Union and a significant sponsorship by the
National Bank of Greece.
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If you?re thinking of visiting the ?Tholos? in Athens,
Greece, you can find some great deals on Athens hotels and
flights to Athens by visiting http://www.athenshotels.gr
