Through a grant from Malta Enterprise, the AuReal Project, being carried out by St. Martin’s Institute, aims to preserve Malta's cultural heritage while also revolutionising the virtual reality experience. However, the project’s centrepiece is the recreation of the Hypogeum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with limited public access.

By combining historical research and cutting-edge VR technology, it will provide users with an unprecedented opportunity to explore this ancient site like never before.  

With the AuReal Project, St. Martin’s Institute is paving the way for a new era of immersive cultural experiences, ensuring that Malta’s heritage remains accessible and engaging for generations to come.

Through this project, researchers also got the chance to test out popular theories and beliefs such as whether direct sunlight shines through the chamber known as Holy of Holies. Thanks to this research, we now know that such a phenomenon was scientifically impossible.

As explained by the CEO of Malta Enterprise, Kurt Farrugia, this project has endless possibilities. Apart from being used for the sake of preserving heritage, the project is also creating tools which will be used in the film industry, in gaming, in software development, pharmaceutical and medical fields among others.