The gorgeous architecture of Paris’ Notre Dame is headed to New York
After traveling through Dubai, Montreal and Washington, D.C., an exhibit that tells the story of Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral is landing in New York. Starting Thursday, November 15, history fanatics and art buffs can make their way to Morningside Heights’ massive Cathedral of St. John the Divine to experience this multimedia event.
As a part of the church’s art collection this winter, “Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition” promises an interactive tour of crucial moments in the cathedral’s 850-year history, from its inception in 1163 to the current process of restoration after the 2019 fire.
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Through a combination of artifacts, projected images and the “HistoPad,” a tablet technology from Histovery, you can stop by the opulent wedding of King Henry IV, Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation and Viollet-le-Duc’s iconic spire in the cathedral. You’ll also get to step back in time to medieval Paris to meet stonemasons, craftsmen, and builders. Expect to see illuminated photo panels and 3-D models of Notre-Dame, including a full-size chimera.
Plus, scroll through a timeline of Notre-Dame’s construction history, through the centuries. From its early days to today’s master craftspeople, you’ll see the cathedral’s transformation.
“This augmented exhibition is a celebration of the extraordinary history and splendor of our beloved Notre-Dame de Paris,” said Bruno de Sa Moreira, CEO Histovery, a French educational technology startup that’s running the exhibit. “We are particularly thrilled that St. John the Divine will host this exhibition in December 2024, a month that coincides with the much-anticipated reopening of Notre Dame after a five-year reconstruction period.”
As the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine makes a stunning backdrop for the exhibition.
“Notre-Dame and St. John the Divine are both symbols of resilience,” The Very Reverend Patrick Malloy, Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, said in a press release. “Hosting this extraordinary exhibition connects two of the world’s most monumental cathedrals and invites our visitors to rediscover the past in a vibrant, new way.”
Alongside exhibits like “Treasures from the Crypt” and “Look Up! A History of the Dome,” the Notre-Dame exhibition is available at the Manhattan church through January 31. Admission to the exhibit costs $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $10 for children, with hours every day from 10am to 5pm.