A unique visual experience for all ages

Title: LIGHT MYSTERIES - Holograms, 3D and Optical Illusions

When: 28 Nov 2013 - 10 May 2015

Where: Museum of Natural History. Herakleion, Crete (NHMC).

Who: Hellenic Insitute of Holography

Cooperation: Μuseum of Optics of ITMO University, St. Petersburg and the Institute of Electronic Structure and LASER of FORTH Crete.  

   A trailer video for local TV stations     

After 18 months of continuous operation and numerous extensions during 2014, the exhibition titled "LIGHT MYSTERIES: Holograms, 3D and Optical Illusions" organized by the Hellenic Institute of Holography (HiH) at the fabulous Natural History Museum of the Univ. of Crete in Herakleion came to an end in May 2015. The inauguration of the show was done by the Governor of the Region of Crete Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis in the presence of representatives of local administrative and academic communities. View here all the contributors to this success.

Such an exhibition took place for the first time in Greece -if not internationally- as its content extended further than strictly holography by combining 3D stereoscopic imaging with education in basic optical principles through optical paradoxes. The Museum of Optics (Optimus) of the reknown ITMO Univ. of St. Petersburg, Russia as well as the Institute of Electronic Structure and Lasers of the Foundation for Research and Technology of Crete (IESL-FORTH) largely contributed in the organization of this exhibition. The aim of this show was to familiarize visitors of all age-groups with the basic principles of Optics through simple hands-on experimental setups, with the strange travel of Light in Nature through the explanation of various natural phenomena and with the latest developments in the field of stereoscopic 3D-imaging and applications.S. Anastasiades (FORTH), A. Lembessis (HiH), M. Mylonas (NHMC)

Naturally, the magnificent World of Holography remained the main core of the exhibition, which expanded in two floors and a total area of approx. 500 sq.m. At the ground level, 130 impressive display holograms from HiH Collections originating from more than 15 countries were demonstrated to public in a historic review of display holography from 1985 to this date: unique monochromatic holograms of original art pieces from the USSR, pseudocolour artistic holograms, full-colour large-format holographic prints, impressive  white-light transmission integral rainbow holograms, pulse portraits of humans and animals, latest technology true-colour ultra-realistic holograms of objects and Optical Clones (OptoClones) of works of art.

On the 1st floor, various Optical Paradoxes and Illusions were demonstrated in an amusing and interactive way thus introducing visitors to the basic concepts of geometrical Optics, which were further explained with a series of simplified lab setups. Visitors could be entertained in the dark-room with laser musical instruments and light wall-graffiti whilst understanding natural phenomena involving UV-radiation. On the same floor, printed and digital 3D anaglyphs as well as the awarded large-format lenticular prints Lenstar introduced them to glasses-free auto-stereoscopic monitors with computer-generated and 'live' footage 3D content.

The exhibition was further enriched with samples of documented extra-terrestrial meteorites, original mineral pigments used in ancient Greek paintings and fluorescent minerals (from the private collections of Mr. Thomas Katsaros) as well as original impressive photographs of Aurora Borealis, captured by world-reknown Russian scientists researching this phenomenon. At the entrance of the Museum, the robotic geisha with its perimetric holographic head-portraits welcomed visitors under the simulation of sky lighting (with the use of proprietary LED setup designed by Yiannis Georgaras) before inviting her young friends to custom-made kinetic interactive games in the 3D projection cube.

Watch on our respective webpage Gallery LM2014 a couple of informative TV programs from local stations CRETE-TV and CRETAlive (also to be found at the YouTube HiHolography channel) together with a classified library of lots of official photos from the exhibition. During the 18 months of the show a specially developed website was active (foteinamystiria.gr) and a large number of informative bulletins were issued from the e-address of the magnificent Museum of Natural History of the University of Crete, a real not-to-miss 'jewel' on the island. 

A unique exhibition which left an impression on those who had the opportunity to enjoy this unforgettable personal experience as holograms can only be eye-witnessed and is impossible to be communicated.