ISLAMABAD: A state-of-the-art Digital Immersive Gallery was inaugurated at the Islamabad Museum on Thursday, introducing visitors to Gandhara`s cultural legacy and bringing ancient stories to life through advanced digital technology.

Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Kicchi attended the ceremony as chief guest.

The event was also attended by senior officials, including National Heritage Secretary Asad Rehman Gilani, Acting Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Park Jelak and representatives from the Korea Heritage Agency (KHA) and other Korean ODA projects.

Established by KHA under a fiveyear Official Development Assistance project of the Korean government, the gallery brings Gandhara`s history to life through interactive 3D projections and immersive storytelling.

Calling it a triumph of immersive storytelling, organisers said visitors can digitally engage with renderings of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. The gallery also showcases Pakistan`s sixUnesco World Heritage Sites, spanning from the 3rd millennium BCE to the Mughal era.

The minister praised Korea`s support for preserving Pakistan`s heritage, describing the gallery as a bridge between past and present that will strengthen cultural tiesbetween the two nations.

The project has already delivered major achievements, including Pakistan`s first Conservation and Analysis Laboratory, an Archaeological Research Centre, and extensive training programmes for conservators and students. A pilotexcavation at the historic Mankiala Stupa has also been completed.

The Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) said that a second phase (2026-2030) has been approved, which will establish the Pakistan Institute of Cultural Heritage Training and Research inShakarparian, providing a permanent facility for heritage research and international collaboration.

The ceremony concluded with a tour of the gallery, where guests experienced the innovative fusion of technology and history now enriching the Islamabad Museum.