(UPI) — Israel unveiled on Tuesday a new innovation lab that will be housed in Jerusalem’s ancient Tower of David.
The facility will be the only laboratory in the world housed in a tower built thousands of years ago and will showcase the largest augmented reality and virtual reality technology in the country to date. The Tower of David is more than 2,000 years old.
Called the ToD Innovation Lab, it will specialize in integration, piloting and developing tech solutions while providing a workspace, equipment and a real-time beta site for startups and industry leaders in Jerusalem.
“The Lab is also unique in its concept,” the news release for the innovation lab said.
“On a daily basis, the Lab will actively be connecting developers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, corporations to the museum/national heritage site world, delivering content to the developer while simultaneously offering visitors to the Tower of David Museum the opportunity to experiment with the different projects sponsored by the lab in real time,” the release said
The Tower of David Museum sees 400,000 annual visitors and is used as a place to display “a combination of the city’s ancient history together with a renaissance of innovation and creativity” according to Ze’ev Elkin, the Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage in Israel.
The reception hall, for example, was built nearly 2,000 years ago. The hall is now being converted into a workspace and will be the center of innovation at the museum.
The lab ultimately aims to bring historical, cultural and archaeological stories to life using the latest technology.
“The Lab’s vision is to connect the world of international digital development to the world of museum content and to find creative and contemporary ways to bridge the gap between the story of the past and the ultra-modern technological experience,” the release said.