Welcome to this month’s round-up of Extraordinary Experiences across all experience sectors and around the globe. 

Spring is finally springing as March is upon us and with it its promise of longer, lighter days and an abundance of beautiful buds coming into bloom. Speaking of which, flora fans should head to the Saatchi Gallery in London this month for its spring exhibition celebrating how flowers continue to inspire artists and writers. Don’t miss Rebecca Louise Law’s haunting installation created from over 10,000 dried flowers.

It’s a month where experience sectors are spectacularly colliding to create ever-more magical events. Fan favourite films like Ratatouille are given a delicious twist at Fork n’ Film in Las Vegas, where dishes from key scenes in the film are served at the very moment they appear on screen, while Greta Gerwig’s Barbie will be screened at London’s Royal Albert Hall alongside all-female orchestra the Barbie Land Sinfonietta.

Film and music also collide at CineVita in Hollywood, a 1920s-themed live cinema venue hosting performances inspired by the films of various auteur directors. First up is Quentin Tarantino, so be prepared to get your dancing shoes on as you boogie to Chuck Berry. In Paris it’s TV and dance that are brought together in an artistic interpretation of hit show Peaky Blinders featuring the Rambert dance company.

Across the pond, Meow Wolf is hosting the ultimate Houston hoedown; Vinyl Ranch at Radio Tave. On a deeper note, the need to protect our oceans is highlighted at two experiences this month: Echoes of the Ocean in Madrid, which features an interactive installation by Marshmallow Laser Feast, and Become Ocean in North Carolina; a concert that blends light, movement and sound into a meditative experience.

18. Fork N’ Film

Open now
Location: Las Vegas, US
Experience Sector: Immersive Dining

Multisensory movie experiences are having a moment. No sooner has Netflix opened a restaurant in Vegas serving Bridgerton-themed teas and Stranger Things-inspired chicken sliders than an immersive cinema and dining experience opens in Vegas’s entertainment district, Area15. Called Fork n’ Film, the experience, founded by Nick Houston and Francesca Duncan, aims to make you feel like you’re living in the world of your favourite movies, recreating dishes from classic films and serving them at the exact moment they appear on screen. State-of-the-art visuals and surround sound add to the immersive atmosphere.

Kicking off this year’s programme, Fork n’ Film will be serving up hefty doses of nostalgia in the form of Mean Girls, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan and Alice in Wonderland, whisking moviegoers back to their childhoods. Other films showing at Area15 are Ratatouille – the Pixar tale about budding chef Remy the rat, Lady and the Tramp, The Princess and the Frog, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Monsters, Inc. The dishes served are kept a surprise to add to the intrigue. Each screening includes a multi-course menu served with cocktails.

17. Flowers – Flora In Contemporary Art & Culture

Open now until 5 May 2025
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Art

We’re excited about this blooming marvellous exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery that explores how flowers have and continue to inspire artists and writers with their beauty, impermanence and renewal. Set over two floors and nine gallery spaces, the show features over 500 unique artworks, including large-scale installations, paintings, photography, fashion, archival objects and graphic design exploring the ongoing influence of flowers on creativity and human expression, and how flowers have been used through the ages both as a way of capturing the fleeting beauty of the natural world and also as symbols and metaphors.

Divided into nine themed rooms, each explores different creative themes and media. One room is devoted to an interactive installation by Rebecca Louise Law made from over 100,000 dried flowers. Another is a digital projection space featuring a virtual garden by French artist Miguel Chevalier, while sections of the exhibition involve collaborations with designers such as Marimekko. Look out for works by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, YBA disruptor Damien Hirst, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, polka dot queen Yayoi Kusama, Art Nouveau champion Alphonse Mucha, and arts and crafts legend William Morris.

16. Echoes Of The Ocean

Open now until September 2025
Location: Madrid, Spain
Experience Sector: Immersive Learning

Proving that immersive experiences have the power to inform as well as inspire, Echoes of the Ocean in Madrid aims to shine a light on the importance of oceans as the lifeblood of our planet, regulating the climate and producing a huge amount of oxygen and natural resources, reminding those that come to see if of the need for us to preserve and protect them. An exhibition where science, technology, art and creativity collide, the show, curated by José Luis de Vicente, features a centrepiece by artistic collective Marshmallow Laser Feast in collaboration with the Bioacoustic Applications Laboratory of the University of Catalonia.

Called Seeing Echoes in the Mind of the Whale, the large-scale audiovisual installation invites visitors to reflect on the sustainability of marine ecosystems. Comprising twelve giant screens, the immersive installation integrates images generated by AI and sound recordings of marine species captured in different parts of the world. The data and sounds originate from research led by the University of Catalonia’s lab, which studies noise pollution in oceans and its impact on the species that inhabit them, such as whales and other aquatic mammals. The show reminds us that human and animal life on Earth hinges on the health of our oceans.

15. Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby

Opens: 12-30 March 2025
Location: Paris, France 
Experience Sector: Dance, Immersive Entertainment 

If you’re a fan of hit TV show Peaky Blinders, then you’ll soon be able to get your fix in Paris in the form of a new dance show written by the creator of the series that delves into the story of Tommy Shelby and his much-feared Birmingham gang the Peaky Blinders. Opening in the trenches of Flanders, the story unfolds in post-war industrial Birmingham as the Shelby family navigate the decisions that determine their fate and Tommy is intoxicated by mysterious newcomer, Grace. While he’s building his empire, Grace is operating as an undercover agent on a mission to get close to the heart of the Peaky Blinders, putting her own life at risk.

Kicking off in Paris this month then moving to London, the production, written by Steven Knight and choreographed by Rambert’s artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer, features the full Rambert dance company on stage and a live band playing original music by Roman GianArthur alongside iconic Peaky Blinders tracks from Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Radiohead, Anna Calvi, The Last Shadow Puppets, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Knight has included exclusive plot and character insights in the show that don’t appear on screen but were in his mind when he was creating the show, giving fans new insights into the gang.

14. Darkfield

Opens: 21 March until 4 May 2025
Location: Dallas, US
Experience Sector: Audio Experience

Darkfield, the chilling multi-sensory audio experience exploring the depths of human perception, has landed in Dallas after successful runs in London, Melbourne and New York. Taking place at AT&T Performing Arts Center, the show unfolds inside purpose-built shipping containers, creating intimate, 360-degree environments that are as thrilling as they are unforgettable. Using state-of-the-art audio, sensory deprivation and special effects to place the audience at the centre of a narrative, it delivers an edge-of-your-seat sucker punch.

Pushing the boundaries of human consciousness, among the audio journeys is Coma, that asks the audience to lie down together and slip into a collective dream. With the aid of cutting-edge tech and intricate sound design, participants will be left questioning the boundaries of their own minds. Séance, meanwhile, transforms the interior into a Victorian séance room and asks audiences to believe not only what’s happening inside the container, but also in what might be conjured into the room with them. Third experience Flight transports you to an airline cabin and takes you on two journeys into alternate realities.

13. Sadler’s Wells East

Open now
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Dance, Live Events 

Acclaimed dance theatre company Sadler’s Wells has opened an exciting new sister theatre in London’s Stratford. Designed by Dublin-based architectural practice O’Donnell + Tuomey, the space includes six dance studios and a timber-panelled, 550-seat auditorium. Dubbed a ‘powerhouse for dance’ the space for performance, learning and production in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is formed of a series of piled-up and interlocking rectangular boxes. It will be home to the Rose Choreographic School and Academy Breakin’ Convention, which offers teenagers education in hip-hop theatre.

The space complements rather than competing with those who use it. An L-shaped foyer leads to the auditorium and round to a glass wall opening on to terraces that descend towards the Waterworks River that weaves through the park. The steep seating in the auditorium allows the dancers’ feet to be visible to all, and can be slid away to create a flat area for the audience to stand during the interval of certain performances, including opening show: Our Mighty Groove. Up next in March is NOW by Jasmin Vardimon Company, Age of Content by the National Ballet of Marseille and the Dance Reflections Festival, which takes place across both Sadler’s Wells venues.

12. Carnival Jubilee Cruise Ship

Open now
Location: Various
Experience Sector: Immersive Travel

Think cruise ships are the preserve of the blue rinse brigade? Think again. Among those disrupting the sector is the Carnival Jubilee cruise ship, a 6,500-capacity vessel that boasts the underwater-themed Currents zone, a two-deck-high promenade with a giant wave-shaped LED ceiling, six LED media windows, show lighting, and an immersive sound system. Its makers wanted to create a standout space between the theatre and dining area where guests could be immersed in whimsical underwater environments through imaginative storytelling and cutting-edge tech from batwin+robin productions and Raven Sun Creative.

Helping to make that dream a reality were Infinite World Studios and Beaudry Interactive, who created three interactive activities for the Currents zone that operate at various times during the voyage. Each activity uses a specialised tablet to control the behind-the-scenes operations, making the experience accessible for guests, who are able to control the lighting and soundscape. Travellers can transform the space into six aquatic worlds on the digital windows, and can create a marine creature and watch it come to life on screen. Night show SoundWaves, meanwhile, allows you to match certain songs with lighting and visual effects.

11. Super Social

Open now
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Experience Sector: Competitive Socialising

Competitive socialising venues aren’t going anywhere, if Dublin’s latest iteration, Super Social, is anything to go by. The €5 million, 15,000 square foot venue at Leopardstown Racecourse blends cutting-edge technology with hands-on fun. Inside you’ll find a high-tech, 12 hole mini golf course, interactive darts, supercharged shuffleboards, and the Super Social Arena. Aiming to take traditional games to the next level, the activities on offer feature innovative tech such as magnetised golf balls that track scores, automated puck tracking for shuffleboards, and darts with digital overlays and automatic scoring.

The venue also includes a casual dining restaurant where you can refuel after a competitive gaming session. “The days of people just going to the pub and drinking pints is becoming a thing of the past; people want more of an experience now,” says co-founder Paul Quinn. “We toured the US and saw social venues that pushed the boundaries of entertainment. We had to bring that level of tech and excitement to Dublin, and we’ve been working on this for many years to do so. It’s not just about games. We’ve taken the standard restaurant and bar offering and elevated it to match the high-tech, interactive vibe of the rest of the venue.”

10. Become Ocean

Opens: 1 March 2025
Location: North Carolina, US
Experience Sector: Music, Live Events

Our second ocean-themed experience this month is taking place in North Carolina. Called Become Ocean, the ground-breaking immersive concert experience is the brainchild of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Blumenthal Arts. Taking over Blume Studios, John Luther Adams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning composition Become Ocean is a musical exploration of the ocean’s vast, mysterious power, and the ecological challenges of rising sea levels. During the experience concertgoers will be transported into the depths of the ocean via enveloping audio and shimmering lights of deep blues and shifting silvers.

Created with the help of Visuell Immersive, the concert brings the powerful quiet world of the ocean to life through a careful blend of artistic vision and technical expertise. The performance includes projections and lighting that moves with the same fluidity as the music, which serve not only as a backdrop, but as an extension of the music itself. Water, light, movement and sound blend into a singular, meditative experience that allows space for each audience member to bring their own emotions to the surface. From the waves in the venue’s lobby to being pulled under the ocean during the concert, the experience is fully immersive.

9. Barbie The Movie: In Concert

Fans of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie are in for a treat this month, as the film will be screened during a special performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall accompanied live by the Barbie Land Sinfonietta; an all-female orchestra conducted by Macy Schmidt, who orchestrated the score for the event. During the screening the orchestra will perform the film score and pop songs from its iconic soundtrack. Part of the ROH’s popular Films in Concert series, moviegoers are encouraged to dress up as their favourite Barbie (or Ken), but replica weapons won’t be allowed into the concert hall, so leave your plastic swords at home.  

Schmidt, who recently became the first woman of colour orchestrator in Broadway history, said of the event: “Music lends so much to the Barbie film; between the clever orchestral score and the pop soundtrack, music is carrying us through the story. It couldn’t be more fitting to have an all-women orchestra bringing this film’s message to life onstage, and we are immensely honoured to have our European premiere in such a storied venue.” Among the other Films in Concert taking place at the ROH this year are Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Gladiator in April, Top Gun Maverick in May, and Back To The Future in October.

8. Bullanginya Dreaming: Luna Light Journey

Open now
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Experience Sector: Immersive Learning

Masterminded by Laservision in the idyllic Bullanginya Lagoon in New South Wales, Bullanginya Dreaming: Luna Light Journey combines history, art and cutting-edge tech to provide visitors with an insight into the rich traditions of the Bangerang people, honouring their deep-rooted connection to the land. The immersive experience is the largest First Nation light and sound show in Australia, transforming over 40 acres of natural Australian bushland into a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture, history and the environment. A 1.8 kilometre walking track invites guests to disconnect from the outside world and enter the Dreamtime; a cultural and spiritual concept central to Indigenous Australians.

During the hour-long journey, visitors engage with 13 activations, including ‘People of the Tall Trees’ and ‘Patterns of Nature’, showcasing different elements of the Bangerang people’s history and culture. The experience includes a welcome ceremony and an exploration of the profound connections between the Bangerang people and their environment. Rich with symbolism, Rebecca Atkinson’s artworks are seamlessly integrated into the lighting design, projections and sculptures on show, creating a powerful narrative that reflects the Bangerang people’s connection to country, and serving as the visual heartbeat of the event.

7. James Turrell At Wadi AlFann

Open now until 19 April 2025
Location: AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Experience Sector: Immersive Art  

American light artist James Turrell is brightening the Saudi Arabian desert with a series of installations connected by a maze of tunnels and staircases in AlUla. Taking place at cultural venue Wadi AlFann as part of the AlUla Arts Festival, Turrell’s works appear across a series of connected chambers nestled into the landscape. Curated by Michael Govan, the exhibition forms part of Wadi AlFann’s pre-opening programme, that spotlights the artists due to be on show. Turrell will create a sequence of chambers within the canyon floor offering a sensorial experience of space, colour and perception that examines the nature of seeing.

The latest in a series of Skyspace installations created by Turrell, the current works on show at AlUla include dome-like structures illuminated by oculus openings that feature built-in seating for visitors. A circular motif runs through the design, with rounded walkways, seating and openings throughout, offering an interactive experience for art lovers. Work from Turrell’s Hologram series are also on show, including ‘a luminous geometric shape floating in space’. “All of my Skyspaces engage the natural light of the area. The light quality in AlUla is of dry desert air, which yields a light in the sky that is crisp and clear,” Turrell said.

6. Meow Wolf Vinyl Ranch

Opens: 6 March 2025
Location: Texas, US 
Experience Sector: Music, Live Events  

With cowboy core having a bit of a moment, the folks at Meow Wolf Houston are hosting the ultimate hoedown at Radiotave. Called Vinyl Ranch, the classic country DJ party will headline March’s Adulti-Verse, Meow Wolf’s immersive nightlife experience, giving guests the chance to explore Radio Tave while dancing to a country set by Vinyl Ranch of old classics and new bangers. Having started life at Midtown dive bar Leon’s Lounge in 2007, Vinyl Ranch is making its long-awaited return to Houston this month, turning honky-tonks into dance floors.

Adulti-Verse visitors will have full access to Radio Tave, Meow Wolf Houston’s immersive exhibition filled with interactive art, hidden pathways and mind-bending installations. The event will also feature rodeo-inspired cocktails at Texas-style dive bar Cowboix Hevvven. Vinyl Ranch blends a country classic soundtrack with the glitz and energy of big-city disco nightlife bringing their urban cowboy style to festivals, nightclubs and honky-tonks across the US. After five years of letting their record collection gather dust, they’re back with a bang.

5. Mirror Mirror: Journey Into The Mind

Open now until 6 July 2025
Location: Singapore
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment 

The magic minds at Moment Factory have expanded their Mirror Mirror concept to Singapore with a new exhibition at Marina Bay Sands. Called Journey Into the Mind, the immersive exhibition takes visitors through eight interactive rooms that explore themes such as memory, perception, identity and ego. Using innovative tech, the exhibit brings the intangible aspects of the human psyche to life in a thought-provoking way. In this playful world of art and immersion, visitors’ emotions and imagination help to shape the experience as they move through spaces full of illusions, vibrant colours and captivating soundscapes.

Exploring neuroscience and the thought process in an engaging way, the experience starts by asking guests to choose one of three doors, each unlocking a distinct path. Once inside, you can see your memories transform into glowing displays of light; experience a reimagined tarot reading; let AI transform your words into living poetry and images; lose yourself in a vibrant multicolour haze; explore a cosmic art space where every ball throw creates a dazzling collage; and amble around the forest of mirrors offering endless perspectives.

4. House Of Erika Lust

Open now
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment 

The world’s first erotic immersive experience combining art, digital installations and adult films has opened in Barcelona’s Poblenou district. Spearheaded by Swedish film director Erika Lust, House of Erika Lust brings the world of erotica to the immersive sector through the use of VR and film projections. Created in partnership with augmented reality content creation studio Layers of Reality, the large late-night venue brings together technology and art, providing a safe space for visitors to explore their desires in a personal and interactive way. “It’s about celebrating pleasure and desire as an integral and joyful part of life,” says Lust. “My hope is for every visitor to leave with a deeper connection to their own sexuality.”

Breaking down barriers between imagination and experience, guests begin by donning face masks that allow for privacy as they explore Lust’s universe. In Your Deepest Fantasies Brought to Life, Lust turns women’s fantasies into engaging short films, inviting visitors to witness these personal narratives. Participants then embark on a VR experience with choices including Erotic, Explicit and Surprise modes where you’re free to roam around a virtual house and experience an erotic production from multiple viewpoints. Ecstasy Unveiled, meanwhile, is an immersive experience with non-explicit sensory content that celebrates pleasure and diversity, while the Metaverse room showcases Lust’s films on giant screens.

3. Le Grand Tour

Opens: Soon
Location: France 
Experience Sector: Immersive Travel

With luxury train travel enjoying a new Golden Age, immersive experience creators Puy du Fou have taken to the tracks with Le Grand Tour, a five-night sojourn across France in a stunner of a Belle Epoque train. On a journey spanning 4,000km and taking in some of France’s prettiest spots, you’ll board a train boasting beautiful sleeping cabins with private bathrooms, along with a dining car celebrating French cuisine, and a bar car where the hedonism ramps up. Dialling up the luxury, the dishes that shine a light on local produce from the regions the train passes through have been devised by a three-Michelin-starred chef.

With space for just 36 guests per voyage, Le Grand Tour is about as exclusive as it gets. Departing from Paris, you’ll journey into the heart of Champagne country, passing through Reims onto Beaune in Burgundy, the lavender fields of Provence, the cobbled streets of Carcassonne, the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, the fairy-tale Loire Valley chateaux, and the pretty port town of La Rochelle on a trip taking in history, art, culture, architecture, music, wine and fine dining. Le Grand Tour ends with a journey back in time at Puy du Fou. Private salons by day and bedrooms by night, all cabins benefit from a 24-hour butler service. 

2. CineVita

Open now
Location: Los Angeles, US
Experience Sector: Film, Immersive Entertainment

Taking the cinema experience beyond the silver screen is CineVita, a ‘live cinema’ venue in Hollywood Park, which has made its glittering debut with opening show Tarantino: Pulp Rock from production group For The Record, which celebrates the music and iconography of director Quentin Tarantino’s films through live music and dance. The show opens with a mellow rendition of California Dreamin’, which features in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The energy is ramped up with a reimagining of the memorable Pulp Fiction diner scene featuring a dancing John Travolta and Uma Thurman, followed by guitar riffs of Dick Dale’s Misirlou. The atmosphere is convivial and participatory, with attendees encouraged to sing.

The two-hour-plus production toggles between Tarantino’s rousing scenes and the more sombre moments of his back catalogue. Each cast member plays multiple characters and has their time to shine. The show is loud, violent, sexy and good fun, and is broad enough in its scope for people beyond the realms of diehard Tarantino fans to enjoy. The 15,000 square feet venue’s décor tips its hat to the Golden Age of Hollywood with its maze of mirrors, stained-glass windows and stages. The themed menu includes the Reservoir Dog, Royale With Cheese silders, Pop Fiction popcorn, and a selection of cocktails. Lending itself to auteurs like Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese, the concept will run throughout 2025.

1. Paradise Under The Stars

Open now until 1 June 2025
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment

The Lost Estate have made magic again with their latest show – Paradise Under The Stars – which transports guests deep into the heart of Havana. Reimagining the legendary Club Tropicana one steamy night in 1958, the show takes place during the premiere of Corazón De Cuba, when stars stream through the club’s doors and you’re invited as a guest of honour. Dripping with glamour, the immersive experience pays homage to one of the world’s most celebrated nightclubs and aims to recapture Havana’s glittering golden age when Duke Ellington, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Celia Cruz collided in a rum-soaked symphony.

Combining music, food and dance, the experience captures the essence of the indomitable Cuban spirit. Artists Luanda Pau, Yelfris Valdés and Maikel Mota have crafted a show that captures their homeland. As the Tropicana Orchestra gets going, some of the UK’s finest Afro-Cuban performers bring the story to life in a spectacular celebration of movement and melody to the rhythms of the rumba, the cha cha cha, and the changüí. The experience includes a three-course meal of Cuban classics, such as beef shin with white rice, yuca and frijoles negros; red snapper escabeche; smoked pork asado with coconut and papaya; and chocolate cigars. Cocktails include Club Tropicana staples such as frozen rum daiquiris.