Barco delivers vast visuals for Cleopatra exhibition

Barco, a technology company specialising in innovative visualisation solutions, is powering the expansive visuals in CLEOPATRA, THE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION, which is showing at Matadero Madrid until March.

Through Barco-powered visuals, golden sculptures, and a moving soundtrack, this experience evokes the grandeur of the legendary queen and combines art, history and advanced technology to transport visitors to the heart of Hellenistic Egypt.

Elevated imagery

The fourth, and most ambitious production to date by Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD), CLEOPATRA, THE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION, blends art, history, and cutting-edge technology to exceed the traditional exhibition experience.

"Imagine walking through a digital throne room, where holograms shimmer without glasses, video mapping revives the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and virtual reality plunges you beneath the waves to explore Cleopatra’s lost world," says the company.

The 1,200-square-metre immersive hall is at the centre of the experience.

Here, visitors enjoy a cinematic story of power, culture, and fate, told through 8-metre-high floor-to-ceiling projections, interactive installations and a soundtrack from a 52-piece orchestra.

"To achieve this level of majesty, every pixel mattered. The team needed visuals that could match the scale of Cleopatra’s legend: sharp, vibrant, and seamless across massive surfaces. The goal was clear: elevate image quality to royal standards."

To deliver the resolution and sharp imagery necessary for a production of this scale, the team needed to upgrade the projection system. With content created in 4K, the technology needed to render intricate details, rich colours, and seamless transitions across huge walls and floors.

'A game changer for immersive storytelling'

Following a comparative test against many other projector brands, Barco was selected as the best fit. The projectors were then installed by Barco's trusted partner, Fluge Audiovisuales.

13 Barco I600-4K15 projectors are deployed in the immersive hall. These provide outstanding 4K resolution, smaller pixel size for sharper imagery, rich colour depth and exact detail reproduction across large walls and floors. Each scene is displayed in exceptional clarity, from Cleopatra’s coronation to Alexandria's dramatic fall.

A hologram installation, powered by the Barco UDM-4K30 projector, features appearances by Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. This model delivers bright, vivid visuals that bring the world to life in 3D, without glasses or additional devices.

The 25-minute cinematic journey through Cleopatra’s life is powered by Barco’s cutting-edge projection technology and enhanced by moving seats, immersive sound, and perfect visuals.

As one of the largest immersive installations in Europe, Barco's reliable technology guarantees consistent performance for daily operations and complicated content formats. And with resolutions of over 10,000 pixels across the walls and floors, the immersive hall now presents one of the continent's most visually spectacular installations.

"Visitors are captivated by the clarity and brilliance of the visuals," says the company, "while Madrid Artes Digitales celebrates the upgrade as a game-changer for immersive storytelling."

Last November, Barco shared details of its project to power complex projection mapping at Via Riyadh, a premium lifestyle destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.