A massive treasure chest has been unlocked at the Boca Raton Museum of Art until March 6.
The exhibit called “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru” holds the largest collection of gold created by Andean societies in Peru thousands of years ago.
It’s the first time all 192 artifacts have traveled outside of Museo Larco in Lima, Peru, and Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón in Aguas Calientes, Peru. Boca Raton is the first stop on a worldwide tour of the exhibit. You can get tickets by going to bocamuseum.org.
“Gold is what we underscore in this gallery,” said Irv Lippman, executive director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art. “For the Andean peoples and for this Chimu culture that created these works, it also has a sacred value. These were buried and left in tombs which is why we have found them now and are in such remarkable condition.”
The architectural significance of Machu Picchu is also a highlight of the exhibit, with a virtual reality attraction that resembles flying over the massive historical site above the Peruvian Andes. A mythical tour guide, Ai Apaec, flies next to you while talking about its history. And don’t be startled by the VR motion chairs, they move and dispense different scents as you fly and land at different stops.
Machu Picchu is considered among the greatest artistic, architectural and land use achievements anywhere and the most significant tangible legacy of the Inca civilization, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO).
“There is this wonderful depiction of Machu Picchu with the great care that the terraces were built. It was high up on this mountain top, it was a place for rulers,” said Lippman. “It was and is one of the most fascinating places to visit,” he said.
The Boca Raton Museum of Art is at 501 Plaza Real at Mizner Park, in Boca Raton. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Get tickets bocamuseum.org. The virtual reality experience is $18 and the artifact exhibition is $29.95 for adults and $19.95 children 3 to 12.