Palace Museum's new virtual city app has a royal aura

It looks like a life simulation computer game, but this new online community is more than just entertainment.

Netizens are able to "construct" their houses in a virtual ancient Chinese city with a royal aura, as the Palace Museum in Beijing - China's former imperial palace, also known as the Forbidden City - announced on Thursday night the launch of its flagship app in the Apple Store, combining its digital approaches for users.

The app, The Palace Museum Community, builds up a virtual city with traditional Chinese architecture as an online social network platform. Users can win bonuses by completing missions on the network, therefore advancing their levels and refurnishing their manors. A major mission is to read, share and post articles about the museum and other contents on traditional culture.