The global debut of the digitally immersive, 360-degree exhibition, Empress Joséphine’s Garden brings history to life in vibrant colour today at the WA Maritime Museum.
Empress Joséphine’s Garden is an immersive digital projection experience that charts the influence and legacy of Empress Joséphine Bonaparte and her enduring impact on France, botanical science, and global culture, including her relationship with Western Australia.
Through vivid storytelling, rich visuals, expert narration, and an emotive soundscape crafted by Australian musicians, this innovative exhibition was commissioned by the Western Australian Museum (WA Museum) and curated and developed by AGB Creative, Sydney.
The exhibition takes the captivating story of the first Empress of France, Joséphine Bonaparte and the connection between French maritime exploration, Western Australia and the spectacular garden Joséphine created at her home, Château de Malmaison in Paris.
With the Age of Enlightenment as its backdrop, visitors are surrounded by spectacular imagery of Joséphine’s remarkable garden in Château de Malmaison, filled with unique flora and fauna from around the globe, including black swans, kangaroos, and hundreds of exotic plants from Western Australia.
Malmaison became the epicentre of an enlightened world, where politicians, academics and socialites would be immersed within a living museum, surrounded by antipodean treasures and botanical specimens never before seen on French soil.
Empress Joséphine’s Garden is on show at the WA Maritime Museum until February 9, 2025. Standard tickets $15 and junior and concession $12.50.
