Christie lights up the new Smritivan Earthquake Museum

GUJARAT, India – Christie^® is pleased to announce that its laser projection systems are delivering vibrant and immersive visuals in India’s largest memorial and museum, dedicated to those who perished in a major earthquake more than two decades ago.

The new Smritivan Memorial is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town in Kutch District, the earthquake’s epicenter. It houses a state-of-the-art Smritivan Earthquake Museum that consists of eight blocks named Rebirth, Rediscover, Restore, Rebuild, Rethink, Relive and Renew. Each block provides specific attractions to visitors through the use of AV technologies, including projection mapping, to showcase its focused theme. These include Gujarat’s topography, rebuilding initiatives and success stories following the disaster that claimed more than 13,000 lives. Smritivan Memorial was officially inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Bhuj on August 28.

Close to 100 Christie 1DLP^® laser projectors comprising the HS Series, GS Series, Inspire Series and Captiva Series have been installed in various exhibition blocks to offer a dynamic and engaging experience to visitors. Among the highlights of this sprawling museum – which occupies 11,500 square meters (123,785 square feet) – is a special theatre where visitors can experience an earthquake through immersive projections and environmental effects. In another block, multiple projections are displayed on a massive wall where guests can pay their respects to the earthquake victims.

“The Smritivan Earthquake Museum is a world-class facility that offers a unique experience unlike any other museums or public spaces,” said Rishubh Nayar, director of sales for India, Enterprise, Christie. “Not only will visitors be informed about the 2001 earthquake, they can also learn more about Gujarat’s culture, the Harappan civilization of this region, the science of seismology, and how the people of Kutch triumphed against adversities after the earthquake. These have been accomplished by highly engaging and immersive projections that elevate the visitor experience to a whole new level.”

The HS Series laser projectors are used to display bright and lifelike images around the GEODOME total immersive chamber to create a realistic earthquake experience, complemented by surround audio as well as vibration and motion effects. “With its high brightness, color accuracy, compact footprint and omnidirectional capabilities, the HS Series offers a powerful, reliable and cost-effective option for almost any high-use application such as museum spaces,” said Nayar.

The GS, Inspire and Captiva Series laser projectors have also been ingeniously installed in various exhibition blocks to support multimedia presentations, interactive exhibits, as well as a holographic projection and virtual reality demonstrations.

“Our 1DLP laser projection systems with 20,000 hours of low-cost operation, small footprint, low-weight and quiet operation are designed to deliver premium performance and reliability in high footfall venues like Smritivan Earthquake Museum,” Nayar added. “The projections have added poignancy to this historical event and at the same time, exemplified the courage and resilience of the people in rebuilding their homeland.”

Christie’s comprehensive lineup of 1DLP laser projection solutions comprising the HS Series, GS Series, Inspire Series and Captiva Series offer long-lasting laser illumination and rich features that meet the needs of a wide range of applications. Some models are also compatible with Christie Mystique^™, an automated camera-based alignment and recalibration solution. Christie 1DLP laser projectors are the perfect choice for night tourism, museums, planetariums, training and conferences, education, themed entertainment and live events.