Tsinghua University in Beijing is holding a virtual and augmented reality exhibition, which opened Monday. It includes some of China's most iconic sites, like the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. CGTN's Jenny Cortes Ybañez went to find out how they are using technology to preserve China's traditional culture.

A world of virtual and augmented reality is the latest brainchild of Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts & Design. Thanks to advanced equipment, the academy is showcasing some of China's most symbolic sites and relics. Their goal to promote the country's rich culture in a modern and entertaining way.

LU XIAOBO, DEAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & DESIGN, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY "Using modern technologies, like new media, we can better create interaction between the artifacts and the audience. So any lost history or damaged parts of relics, that we had and that have been restored, can now be seen by people in a more beautiful and animated way."

The digital exhibition includes objects and rooms from the Imperial Palace, representing the culture of Chinese royalty, to small and more delicate pieces like paper hand-crafts. But most notably, the academy has chosen to showcase a lot of their own students' work. They believe the younger generation is able to break the traditional mindset of their elders and give new meaning to the very traditional Chinese culture.

LUO WEI, PHD STUDENT ACADEMY OF ARTS & DESIGN, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY "The original is a fan painting more than 500 years old. The piece seemed really distant from our everyday life and it was not entertaining enough. So I modernized it and made an animation out of it to enable the audience to interact with it and be more interested in it."

Experts say relying on modern technology has its ups and downs. Computers and other machines can break down, or might need constant maintenance work. But according to Dean Lu, the digital gallery has many advantages.

LU XIAOBO, DEAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & DESIGN, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY "Digitalization can better preserve the artifacts because you don't have to touch them to study them. Touching the artifacts might cause them some damage. A digital gallery is more condensed than a traditional exhibition. You only need a small space and you can add or put away new work anywhere and at any time. It's very convenient."

The beauty of this kind of interactive experience is that it's able to inspire and educate visitors, young and old. Different aspects of China's 5-thousand-year civilizations in a very exciting and fun way. The digital exhibition runs through Friday. JCY, CGTN, Beijing.