The Shanghai Astronomy Museum brought its :”Astro Xplore” exhibition to Penang at the Tech Dome.
Present at the launch ceremony was Deputy Chief Minister 11 of Penang Yb Jag deep Singh Deo along with the CEO of Tech Dome Penang Ts Khoo Boo Wooi.
Representing The People’s Republic of China was its Consul H.E Mr Zhou Youbin and Mr. Liu Jian, the Deputy Director of the Shanghai Astronomy Museum.
The exhibition will be on from Jan 29 till April 29, 2026 highlighting an immersive VR experience in collaboration with the Shanghai Astronomy Museum.
“First and foremost, on behalf of Shanghai Astronomy Museum, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the successful inauguration of this event. I wish to express my highest esteem to the Penang State Government and Tech Dome Penang for their long-standing dedication to advancing science popularization education and the development of astronomy in Malaysia. I also offer my sincere gratitude to the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang for its unwavering support for cultural and technological exchanges between China and Malaysia,” said Liu in his opening address.
He added that over the past couple of days, he has gained a comprehensive
understanding that Tech Dome Penang, as a pivotal hub for science popularization education in Malaysia, takes interactive experience as its core and technological innovation as its bond, unlocking the door to exploring science and the universe for local residents, particularly young people.
“This founding aspiration of deepening science popularization and illuminating the future is highly aligned with the mission of Shanghai Astronomy Museum.
“As an integrated venue integrating astronomical exhibition, education, and collection, Shanghai Astronomy Museum has adhered to the core tenet of "”Connecting People with the Universe”; since its opening, welcoming over 4.5 million visitors to date. We advocate the educational philosophy of the & “Borderless Museum”; and strive to extend astronomical knowledge beyond the museum’s premises to reach the general public.
“Today, we are privileged to present the "Astro Xplore " project—a vivid manifestation of this aspiration and one of the flagship brands of the museum’s immersive science education initiatives,” he added.
He also shared that the “Astro Xplore” is a cutting-edge XR immersive astronomical science popularization project meticulously developed by Shanghai Astronomy Museum.
“We transcend the physical limitations of traditional astronomy museums by leveraging state-of-the-art technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, transposing the vast universe into a portable digital space.
*Simultaneously, we have independently developed supporting curriculum systems centered on virtual exhibitions, integrating exclusive exhibition resources to create innovative &;scientific thinking courses& characterized by "dual-teacher collaboration and online-offline integration;. By embedding astronomical knowledge into immersive scenarios, we achieve the universal accessibility of high-quality astronomical education resources.
*Complemented by new exhibits such as the “Looking Up · Star Box” ; the temporary exhibition and mobile planetarium, it forms a series of mobile science popularization projects, propelling the systematization and modularization of science popularization products. Breaking geographical barriers, this project can be rapidly deployed in campuses, communities, and science popularization venues across different countries, facilitating the inclusive sharing of premium astronomical science popularization resources.
*Previously, this project has made its way overseas, garnering enthusiastic acclaim in countries such as Thailand. Today, we bring it to Penang, aspiring for it to serve as a new bridge for astronomical science popularization exchanges between China and Malaysia,” he said.
“The debut of the “Astro Xplore”; in Penang on this occasion is not merely a showcase of science popularization achievements but also a starting point for us to deepen cooperation. We look forward to seizing this opportunity to join hands with Tech Dome Penang in conducting in-depth collaboration in areas such as astronomical science popularization education products, youth astronomical education, and cross-cultural cosmic exploration exchanges.
“May the stars serve as a bond linking the sentiments of the peoples of the two
countries, and may the spark of science radiate brightly across the lands of China and Malaysia.
In closing, I wish to once again express my gratitude to the Penang State Government, Tech Dome Penang, and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang for constructing this invaluable platform for exchange. May we take the stars as envoys and science popularization as bridges, unite our efforts to explore the boundless mysteries of the universe, and jointly build a brilliant future for China-Malaysia scientific, technological, and cultural exchanges,” he added.