Dr Jose Barreiro says Inca roads are incredibly long-lasting
The constructions were built with seismic events in mind and that's what engineers today are excited to study - how we can benefit from that knowledge."
Sustainability was the key to success. The Incas paid attention to local conditions, using local materials and working with the landscape.
On steep terrain they built steps to dissipate the water's energy and counter erosion. At high altitudes they paved the way with local stone to protect the surface from ice and snowmelt, and when they needed supporting walls they left holes for the water to drain.
"The Incas took care to preserve the environment and the road is a part of Mother Nature," says Ramiro Matos, the exhibition's lead curator and a native Quechua speaker.
He grew up walking the Inca Road (also known as the Qhapaq Nan) in the central highlands of Peru and says he has a strong emotional connection.