ARCHIVED - Saturdays and Sundays in January and February; Virtual reality tours of the Roman Theatre Museum in Cartagena

Virtual reality goggles transport visitors to the 1^st century BC in the Roman city of Carthago Nova

Modern technology is changing the way in which we are able to view our world and in Cartagena the latest technology is now being used to bring the past to life and help visitors to immerse themselves fully in the Roman heritage of this important Mediterranean port.

Justifiably the most visited museum in the Region of Murcia, this impressive theatre was built at the end of the 1^st century BC, when Rome was at the height of its power under the reign of Augustus, the man who defeated Anthony and Cleopatra in battle and understood how to maintain control of a vast empire by creating a rigid social class structure and the skilled use of propaganda to maintain unchallenged order.

Settlements were built to honour and emulate Rome, monumental building projects encouraging competitive patronage amongst the wealthy and those currying social advancement, this magnificant theatre sporting finely carved column capitals testifying to the patronage of the Emperor himself. Inaugurated in 4BC it was also funded partly by his heirs apparent, step nephews Gaius and Lucius.

Gaius himself was certainly present at the inauguration of the theatre in 4BC, and this encouraged local merchants to pour money into the construction of not only this theatre but also the forum, ampitheatre, religious and social buildings, many of which still lie hidden beneath the feet of shoppers in the city centre.

More than six thousand people would have attended the spectacular performances inside the theatre, filling its 88 metre diameter seating area, which was divided into distinct sections denoting the social status of spectators, facing the 16 metre high stage set, decorated with 24 Corinthian columns made from white marble and sent to the site from Rome, protected from the sun by a huge awning which stretched above their heads.

Visitors today can sit in those same seats and imagine how vibrant the colours were, how it felt to be surrounded by fellow spectators and follow the cut and thrust of the action on the stage, the awning flapping in the sunlight and torches flaring as night fell.......or they can join a 3-D tour and experience it for themselves.

The tours follow the same basic format as a standard museum tour until participants reach the theatre itself and sit in front of the stage, donning their goggles and headsets. Simple controls set the action in motion and visitors are immersed into the past, the theatre forming around their heads and the past coming to life. It's an extraordinary experience, participants becoming totally immersed in this Roman world and understanding how it would have felt 2,000 years ago to have sat in that same seat when the pòwer of Rome was at its zenith and the theatre lived.

The controls of the headset are available in both English and Spanish, although at the moment the first part of the tour is only offered in Spanish. To prevent participants from attempting to wander around wearing the headsets, the goggles are only available for use in accompanied weekend tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 11.00, which must be pre-booked at a cost of 10 euros each. Groups should contact the museum management to arrange private tours.

In terms of practicalities, there are two ways in which members of the public see use this innovation, one being to hire the virtual reality goggles from the museum at a cost of 10 euros as an inclusive element of the guided tours which are held every Saturday and Sunday at 11.00 during December and the seasonal festivities at the beginning of January 2020.

Alternatively, the “Imageen-Cartagena” app can be downloaded onto mobile phones and tablets at a cost of just 2.50 euros.

Tickets for this activity can be purchased in the Roman Theatre Museum (Tel: 968 504802 or 968 500 093). Prior reservation for the tour is necessary as places are limited.

See Tourist Offices in Cartagena for further queries.

Click for more information about the Roman Theatre Museum, the most visited museum in the Murcia Region, which is open between 10:00 and 20:00 from Monday to Saturday and 10:00 to 14:00 on Sunday: Museo Teatro Romano

Click for more information about the Cartagena municipality