Why it matters: As part of a massive exhibit highlighting the work of Leonardo da Vinci, the Louvre collaborated with a team of virtual reality experts to give people a whole new way to experience the artist's "Mona Lisa" masterpiece. The exhibit leveraged infrared, x-ray and refractive data to create a 3D version of what Mona Lisa might have looked like in real life.

Why it REALLY matters: Even art purists who aren't fans of virtual reality might appreciate the way this VR experience eliminates the worst thing associated with seeing the real portrait: crowds.