In this experiential exhibition, making its debut in Japan following a tour around the world, you’ll use a special tablet called a HistoPad to travel through time. Your journey will take you from the construction of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral to the present day. As you walk around the venue, designed to make you feel as if you were inside the cathedral itself, you can immerse yourself in digital content that takes you from the cathedral’s construction, through the coronation of Napoleon I, and to the present and the currently ongoing restoration work. The Japan stop of the tour brings with it additional special content exclusive to this exhibition.
The Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, a World Heritage Site built on the Île de la Cité in Paris about 800 years ago, is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. This historical symbol of Paris suffered severe damage in a fire on April 15th, 2019, after which experts from various fields came together to restore it within a tight deadline: five years. This process utilized a combination of advanced technology, such as drones and CG analysis, and more traditional techniques, honed by craftspeople skilled in the restoration of architecture and artwork.
The exhibition has toured the world with the aim of helping guests experience the history of the Cathedral and learn the importance of preserving cultural assets, using the HistoPad to show how modern technology is helping the cathedral regain its light. The exhibition in Tokyo also coincides with the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris to the public in December 2024.
A past venue decorated with large-scale photographs, stained glass, and model statues ©The Notre-Dame de Paris Exhibit Production Committee
Original Content for the Tokyo Exhibition
In restoring the cathedral, it was essential to combine the techniques of the time with modern technologies to preserve the original appearance and structure of Notre Dame Cathedral for the future. The Miraikan exhibition brings the debut of a new Time Portal highlighting the cutting-edge technologies used to achieve this goal. It also features an added, post-HistoPad Experience station with models of the cathedral before and after the fire that visitors can touch to get a tactical understanding of the damage, as well as of The Stryge and The Virgin and Child, two famous sculptures displayed in the Cathedral. All of these models come with explanations written in Braille to accommodate the visually impaired
The new Time Portal unveiled at the Tokyo exhibition
©The Notre-Dame de Paris Exhibit Production Committee
Touchable Exhibition Virgin of Paris & The Stryge
©The Notre-Dame de Paris Exhibit Production Committee
Explore the History of Notre Dame with Time Portals
©The Notre-Dame de Paris Exhibit Production Committee
Twenty-one Time Portals linked to the past are positioned around the venue. When you hold the HistoPad up to them, it will transport you to an interactive scene from the associated period. From its founding in 1160 to its restoration after the 2019 fire, embark on a journey through space and time as the HistoPad guides you through the cathedral’s rich history.
Examples of Selected Time Portals
The Imperial Coronation
Napoleon's coronation ceremony was held in the Cathedral, using decorations to conceal the damage caused to it by the French Revolution. This Time Portal describes the ambitions of the new emperor and the complicated political situation of the time in an immersive 360-degree reproduction of the painting of the coronation.
Worksite Innovations
This Time Portal makes its debut in the Tokyo exhibition, focusing on the restoration of the cathedral from a scientific perspective. Videos and illustrations explain how all the latest technologies, including the latest simulations and specially developed robots, were used to optimize the restoration process. It shows the techniques that enabled the restoration and reinforcement of Notre Dame's signature architectural elements, including the fire-damaged spire and the roof’s wooden structure, nicknamed “the forest.”
A View of The Venue
Exhibition Overview
- Title
- Special Exhibition "— NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS THE AUGMENTED EXHIBITION —"
- Period
- November 6, 2024 - February 24, 2025
- Open
- 10:00 - 17:00 (New admission is not allowed after 16:30)
- Closed
- Tuesdays (open on February 11), and December 28 - January 1
- Venue
- "Special Exhibition Zone a" 1F, Miraikan
- Admission fee
-
Adults [ages 19+]: 1,800 yen (1,600 yen)
Youth [ages 13-18]: 800 yen (600 yen)
Child [ages 6-12]: 500 yen (400 yen)
Seniors [ages 60+]: 1,600 yen
*The prices in parentheses are for advance tickets (sales period: September 12th to November 5th, 2024) and groups of 8 or more. All prices include tax.
*Admission for preschoolers is free, but does not include a HistoPad. HistoPads are available to preschoolers for a fee of 400 yen.
*Free admission is available for holders of disability or beneficiary certificates and their attendant (limit of one person).
*This ticket also grants admission to Miraikan’s Permanent Exhibitions. Does not include admission to the Dome Theater (reservations required).
*For group reservations (8 or more people), please see"Group Visits".
- Organizer
- Miraikan,The Notre-Dame de Paris Exhibit Production Committee
- Co-host
- Nikkei Inc.
- Special Sponsor
- L’Oréal Japan
- Sponsor
- Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP), Fujitsu Limited
- Supported by
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Embassy of France in Japan / Institut français du Japon, TOKYO WATERFRONT AREA RAPID TRANSIT, INC., Yurikamome Inc.
- In cooperation with
- The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (CCI France Japon), The French Research Institute on Japan at Maison Franco-Japonaise, Shiseido Co., Ltd., TOKYU RAILWAYS Co., Ltd., Tokyo Port Terminal Corporation, TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., Hato Bus Co.,Ltd., HORIBA, Ltd., SANSHUSHA Publishing Co., Ltd., Établissement public chargé de la conservation et de la restauration de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
- Planning & Production
- Histovery, Brain Corporation
- Official website of the Special Exhibition
-
Special Exhibition "— NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS THE AUGMENTED EXHIBITION —" official website