We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the brand new BBC Earth Experience exhibition, and here’s what we thought.

By Laura Wybrow

Published: Thursday, 30 March 2023 at 12:00 am

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The RadioTimes.com team were lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the BBC Earth Experience ahead of its big opening today (Thursday 30th March).

The exhibition, which holds sustainability as its core, invites visitors to travel to all seven continents of the world (and without needing a passport!). The immersive experience boasts huge screens which display videos from Seven Worlds, One Planet — a nature documentary series which was filmed over 1,794 days across 41 countries. You’ll experience Asia, South America, Antarctica and more, from the comfort of London’s Daikin Centre.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the 360-degree audio and visual experience spans four different rooms: the Main Gallery, Micro Life, and Water Life – and, if you’re feeling brave enough, the creepy crawly room… The gorgeous animal life and nature videos feature a forest full of fireflies (which we actually found pretty emotional!), a vibrant sea of starfish, a four-tonne elephant seal fight, and plenty of snub-nosed monkeys.

If you’re wondering just how immersive a room full of screens can be, let us reassure you: the high-definition, multi-angle screens use the very latest digital screen technology. As well as the narration from the much-loved biologist, there are sound effects of natural life throughout, plus lighting installations to perfectly match the ecosystem you’re in, whether that’s a rainforest or the ocean.

The BBC Earth Experience is produced in partnership with BBC Studios, Live Nation and Moon Eye Productions. Speaking about the incredible immersive display, Frederik van Alkemade, chief creative officer at Moon Eye Productions said: “Working with the BBC Studios team to transform the content into a 360-degree audio visual spectacle and for Sir David Attenborough to narrate has been a privilege, and we are proud to present BBC Earth Experience.

“I am a strong believer of the following two principles: ‘show, don’t tell’ and layers. Like everybody, we are concerned about the future of the planet, so sustainability and protecting biodiversity is an important layer that is in the series and in our experience.”

Let’s find out more about the BBC Earth Experience.

Buy tickets for BBC Earth Experience at Ticketmaster

For more immersive events, take a look at the best immersive experiences and the best London art exhibitions.

What happens at the BBC Earth Experience?

At the BBC Earth Experience, you’ll enter through the Main Gallery: a giant room tasked with displaying nature and wildlife from the seven continents of the world. In this room, there are a few benches for you to sit on and marvel at the immersive videos. Also in the Main Gallery is a viewing platform for you to experience the content from new heights, and the Vista Mezzanine Stage: a platform which makes you feel as if you’re sweeping over landscapes — one to potentially avoid if you get seasick easily!

Off the Main Gallery are the Micro Life and Water Life rooms which explore insects and sealife. The Micro Life room also has an interesting (albeit scary) creepy crawly room… Spectators are invited to hold down a big red button and watch crawlies on screen for as long as they can! In the Water Life space, sensors are located above the screens which allow you to move fish and create bubbles with movement.

We were impressed with how much new knowledge we gained during the experience. Did you know South America is home to the most diverse species of animals?

The BBC Earth Experience is self-guided, meaning you’re free to choose your own route around the exhibition and to spend as much (or as little time) at each section as you like. Depending on where you stand, you’ll experience a different storyline as different screens show varying scenes, so be sure to move around.

At the core of the exhibition is the message that we need to endeavour to protect our planet. The immersive experience ends with a starry room and a world in its centre, with a message from Sir David Attenborough inspiring us to alter how we live to save our planet.

In comparison to some of the other immersive experiences we’ve visited, such as Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, the BBC Earth Experience includes larger screens and more sections, and you want to spend longer at the event. Which leads us on very nicely to…

Buy tickets for BBC Earth Experience at Ticketmaster

Check out more exciting things to do in the capital city in our Going Out section, where we have the best London escape rooms and the top London experience gifts.

How long does the BBC Earth Experience last?

Visiting all seven continents of the world is no easy feat, but the BBC Earth Experience manages to do it in one hour!

The videos — from Seven Worlds, One Planet — projected on the screens last about one hour, then, of course, there are the Micro Life and Water Life rooms to explore, too.

Buy tickets for BBC Earth Experience at Ticketmaster

How to get to BBC Earth Experience in London

The BBC Earth Experience is housed in the purpose-built Daikin Centre in Earl’s Court. When the experience says sustainability is at its heart, it really means it: the 1,608 metre-squared venue is built from materials which can be recycled or reused (even the cotton screens will be repurposed after the exhibition), and the projectors are powered by renewable energy.

The outdoor spaces incorporate plant and insect houses to populate the gardens. Plus, rainwater is being harvested for the plants, and to reduce potable water consumption.

There is no parking at the venue, so visitors are encouraged to travel via public transport.

The brand-new Daikin Centre is located at Earl’s Court, Empress Place in London. We travelled by overground to the location, and upon leaving the station and turning left, The Daikin Centre was easily spottable.

Read more about the BBC Earth Experience’s sustainability strategy.

Buy tickets for BBC Earth Experience at Ticketmaster

If you enjoyed this review, take a look at our The Cauldron review, where we visited a spellbinding cocktail bar.

BBC Earth Experience: how to book

If this has encouraged you to book tickets to the BBC Earth Experience — and we truly believe it will be a wonderful day out — then head over to Ticketmaster to secure your place. Tickets went on sale on Friday 2nd December last year, but don’t worry, there are still plenty of slots available throughout the upcoming months.

The BBC Earth Experience will be in London from now until the end of July 2023.

Buy tickets for BBC Earth Experience at Ticketmaster

With Easter coming up, take a look at the best Easter activities for this year. Plus, here are the best Easter LEGO sets.

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