Welcome to this month’s round-up of Extraordinary Experiences across all experience sectors and around the globe.
May is in full bloom, the mercury is rising and the experiential world is heating up with events that challenge us to see (and hear) the world differently. Audio experiences are enjoying their moment in the sun right now, with the Barbican in London launching a show that explores how sound shapes our perception of the world. In Amsterdam, music is used at Sanctum’s Frequency Festival to help attendees enjoy a natural high and reach a state of euphoria.
On the roof of the Met Museum in New York, one of Jennie C. Jones’s giant scarlet sculptures is activated by the wind, while the other two instruments remain silent, highlighting the tension between their dormancy and activation, while in Liverpool, a symphonic poem by Bohemian composer Bedřich Smetana is reimagined with the help of electronic soundscapes and 360° light projections, turning the city’s St George’s Hall into a living, breathing river.
Planetariums are also being put to good use this month for very different audiences. In Tampa the shiny new Saunders Planetarium is making the most of state-of-the-art projection tech to offer budding young star gazers live tours of the night sky guided by a professional astronomer, while in Colorado, the Fiske Planetarium in Boulder is playing host to a film festival with a difference, where new releases are beamed onto the venue’s dazzling dome.
Art is also taking centre stage this month. In Manchester footie fans can step inside J.S Lowry’s iconic work Going To The Match in an immersive reimagining of the painting that brings the anticipation of match day to life. The city will also be the launchpad for the National Portrait Gallery Unframed, which tells the stories of some of the most iconic figures in British history whose portraits hang in the gallery, from Charles Darwin to Virginia Woolf.
Finally, there’s a lot going on within the themed attractions sector, with NEON’s Jurassic Park experience roaring to life in Singapore and a new Squid Game experience landing in London, to The Little Prince being brought to life in Paris and the long-awaited opening of Universal’s Epic Universe, there’s an embarrassment of riches on the experiential front this month.
18. Feel The Sound
Opens: 22 May until 31 August 2025
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Audio, Experiential Learning
The Barbican’s new show, Feel The Sound delves into our relationship with sound and where we encounter it in our body, creating a listening experience that goes beyond the audio. Co-created with MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, in Tokyo, the show features 11 installations dotted around the galley space, from the lakeside terrace to the car park. Exploring how sound shapes the way we think and our perception of the world, during the show, which features workshops, broadcasts, a club night from Rebel Radio and DJ sets from Rampage Sound System, you can dance to beats from car sound-systems; join an ever expanding digital quantum choir; listen to your inner symphony; and feel music without sound.
Miyu Hosoi’s Observatory Station gathers and distributes sounds from throughout the Barbican site, while Joyride by Temporary Pleasure turns The Barbican’s car park into a club space where car sound systems are reinvented as instruments for music, memory, and connection. Forever Frequencies explores the potential of sound to recall memory via generative AI and music boxes, while Kinda Studios’ And Your Inner Symphony records visitors’ emotional reactions to unveil the ways music influences our inner rhythms, and Evan Ifekoya’s installation Resonant Frequencies explores music’s therapeutic effects.
Feel the Sound will also take you deep into the heart of Acid House with virtual reality rave: In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats. The euphoric hour-long experience devised by artist Darren Emerson takes ravers back to the heyday of the UK’s Acid House scene via cutting-edge VR tech with 3D modelling, archive materials, 360° video and animation. A VR headset, headphones, and a haptic vest transport you to a hedonistic warehouse party in 1989. After its London premiere, Feel the Sound will tour internationally, landing in Tokyo in 2026.
17. The Met Roof Garden Commission
Open now until 19 October 2025
Location: New York, US
Experience Sector: Immersive Art
Against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, Ohio-born artist Jennie C. Jones has created sculptural installation Ensemble for the Met Museum’s 2025 Roof Garden Commission, which explores the sonic potential of stringed instruments. The installation is formed of three giant scarlet and maroon works: a tall Aeolian harp activated by the wind; a trapezoidal zither modelled on a low frequency-absorbing bass trap; and a doubled, leaning one-string. Across each work is a set of strings fastened by piano pegs. While the hum of the harp can be heard, the other two are capable of producing sound, but it’s the tension between their dormancy and activation that Jones wants to highlight.
Interactive in nature, how visitors experience the works depends on the time of day and the weather. “What I hope for this work is that it ignites the sonic imagination. The pieces are not always singing, they’re not performing, they’re not always activated,” Jones told Time Out. In researching the sculptures, which are made from powder-coated aluminium and concrete travertine, Jones took inspiration from the instruments behind glass in the Met’s collection and filmed a performance on the rooftop of bassist Luke Stewart and cellist Tamika Reed making sweet music from her sculptures. On display until October, Ensemble is the last Met roof garden commission until 2030.
16. Delta Flight Museum
Open now
Location: Atlanta, US
Experience Sector: Immersive Learning
Flying high after a recent refurb is the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, which has been given a makeover to celebrate the airline’s centenary. The first American airline to mark this major milestone, the museum honours the dedication and spirit of the people who propelled the company through a century of flight. Visitors can immerse themselves in Delta culture through multiple interactive exhibits, including the new ‘Delta Connects You’ experience featuring an extended reality stage demonstrating Delta’s ability to bring people together through different cultures and ideas. The museum is home to memorabilia from the airline’s 100-year history, including model aircraft, employee uniforms and old engine parts.
As part of the refurb, masterminded by Imagine, the museum can be rented out for a range of events, including conferences and weddings for die-hard aviation enthusiasts. The renovation process included a full refresh of its two hangars, from planning new exhibits and scanning archival images to conserving artifacts destined for display. The renamed Legacy Hanger focuses on Delta’s early history and includes new area for kids and a lounge area for events. The Spirit Hangar, meanwhile, focuses on the 1960s to the present day. Keen to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals, the new exhibits bring visibility to a range of careers, including aircraft maintenance technicians, flight attendants and pilots.
15. Lowry 360
Opens: 3 May until 31 August 2025
Location: Manchester, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Art
English artist L.S. Lowry – best known for his urban landscape paintings of Greater Manchester peopled with ‘matchstick men’ – is being put under the spotlight this month. At the Lowry Gallery in Salford you can walk through the artist’s iconic painting Going To The Match at a new immersive experience. Called LOWRY 360, the free to enter experience, developed by creative studio Layers of Reality and launched to celebrate the gallery’s 25th anniversary, surrounds visitors with the sights and sounds of Going to the Match, transporting them inside the painting before they experience the original artwork first-hand.
“This is one of the most ambitious and exciting projects we have ever undertaken. We’re transforming our gallery space in partnership with a world-class creative studio to create an unforgettable experience that will bring new audiences to L.S. Lowry’s work,” said Julia Fawcett, CEO of The Lowry, adding, “When we acquired Going to the Match, our goal was to keep it on public view and free to access. Now, through this immersive experience, we can share this iconic painting with even more people.” LOWRY 360 promises to be a powerful journey into the world of football, community, and culture: themes that define Lowry’s art.
14. The Big Retreat
Opens: 23-26 May 2025
Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales
Experience Sector: Live Events, Health & Wellness
Festivals have evolved with the times, and among those leading the way on the wellness front is The Big Retreat, which returns to Pembrokeshire in Wales this month for four days of events and activities designed to rejuvenate festivalgoers minds, bodies and spirits. With a jam-packed roster of over 300 curated experiences, attendees can participate in everything from wild swimming and yoga to bushcraft and cooking demonstrations. The event combines elements of a retreat, bootcamp, and festival, featuring daytime wellness activities like woodland foraging and evening entertainment with live music and performances.
Providing transformative experiences in a picturesque setting on the unspoiled western edge of Wales, the festival is formed of a dozen different ‘feel good’ areas to explore, taking in gin workshops, den building, painting and dance classes, high-energy workouts and more mindful activities, such as gong baths and meditation. Combining the vibe of a relaxing retreat with a family festival, The Big Retreat takes place at Lawrenny Park Estate, set against the stunning backdrop of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, offering visitors the chance to relax, reflect and recharge, with plenty of opportunities for feasting along the way.
13. Dome Fest West
Opens: 1-4 May 2025
Location: Colorado, US
Experience Sector: Live Events, Film
Film lovers in the Colorado area need to head to Dome Fest West this month for four days of cinematic magic. Taking place at the Fiske Planetarium in Boulder, the event promises to take attendees on a multi-sensory journey taking in recently made awe-inspiring films showcased under the planetarium’s dazzling dome. The event will unite the immersive dome community with Hollywood’s rising content creators, offering movie buffs an elevated viewing experience via the latest projection tech beamed onto the venue’s domed ceiling.
Dome Fest West 2025 will showcase over 40 film screenings, technology presentations, industry panels, festival mixers, and a live pitch competition. Immersive filmmakers from across the globe will have the chance to view ground-breaking cinematic experiences, gain knowledge from top producers in the entertainment industry, and raise the bar for immersive dome content, taking planetariums beyond science. Throughout the event, movie lovers will be able to enjoy Hollywood-calibre content without the need for a VR headset.
12. Flow By Eonarium
Opens: 5 May 2025
Location: Liverpool, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment
The Moldau, a symphonic poem by Bohemian composer Bedřich Smetana evoking the flow of the Vltava River from the Czech mountains to the city of Prague, is the subject of a new multi-sensory experience in Liverpool. Called Flow by Eonarium, the experience, created by Swiss art collective PROJEKTIL, is a breath-taking reimagining of the symphonic poem that fuses classical music, electronic soundscapes and 360° light projections, transforming the city’s iconic St George’s Hall into an audiovisual journey through the beauty of nature.
From serene springs and dense forests to dreamy riverbanks, Flow vividly brings to life the unstoppable force of the Vltava River. Created in collaboration with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the dynamic, 30-minute experience seamlessly blends orchestral music, electronic sound design, and stunning visuals, transforming the grand architecture of St George’s Hall into a living, breathing river. “Flow is a poetic celebration of nature and sound allowing visitors to experience Smetana’s The Moldau like never before,” said Roman Beranek, creative director of PROJEKTIL.
11. Jurassic World: The Experience
Opens: 29 May 2025
Location: Singapore
Experience Sector: Themed Attractions, Immersive Entertainment
The brains behind global entertainment juggernaut NEON have done it again – taking their travelling Jurassic World: The Experience on tour to Singapore. A collaboration with Universal Live Entertainment, the experience roars to life at the end of the month at Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay. Set in the attraction’s leafy, mist-shrouded conservatory, Jurassic World will see characters from the movie brought to life via full-sized animatronic and sculpted dinosaurs. Fans can relive iconic moments from the film franchise through a series of interactive exhibits and learn how prehistoric ecosystems once shaped our planet.
Highlights include an 8.5m tall Brachiosaurus at the entrance; a nail-biting encounter with a T-rex; a petting zoo where fans can interact with baby dinosaurs; and tiny Compsognathus, which visitors can spot among the garden pathways. Making everything feel more believable, Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay is home to over 72,000 plants, and more than 50 of its species date back to the Jurassic period, such as ferns, cycads and conifers. Don’t leave without going on the Evolution Walk, where you can journey back to a time before dinosaurs and discover the ancient plants that existed long before flowering species.
10. Sanctum Frequency Festival
Opens: 17 May 2025
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Experience Sector: Immersive Audio
If good vibrations are your thing then head to Amsterdam this month for mindful movement community Sanctum’s Frequency Festival, which bills itself as a collective, multi-sensory journey combining physical movement, emotional release and spiritual awakening. Hot about on- and off-boarding during the experience, which takes place on yoga mats and requires the use of headphones, you’ll have the chance to visit Sanctum’s pop-up store beforehand, where you’ll find the latest sanctum merch, alongside plenty of food and drink.
Next up comes the main event – a two-hour collective sound experience incorporating scent and light led by Sanctum founder Luuk Melisse, supercharged by multiple wellbeing experts and live DJ performances, offering the chance for emotional release and spiritual awakening. During the afterparty, you can visit the pop-up store, try food and drink from local partners, connect with like-minded souls, or simply soak up the good vibes and bask in the afterglow. The aim is to get festivalgoers into a euphoric state, achieving a natural high and “joyful healing” through the power of mindful movement and transcendent music.
9. Squid Game: The Experience
Opens: Spring 2025
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Competitive Socialising
Just when you thought Squid Game fever had died down a little, another immersive experience pops up. This time, London will be transformed into a playable version of the hit Netflix show. Called Squid Game: The Experience, it’s the closest you can get to being on the chilling Korean TV show, with face scanners, movement recognition, and the same games, including the infamous Red Light/Green Light game, the rope game from the first series, and a memory steps game where you have to recreate the correct route across the room. Created in partnership with The Luna Cinema, one of the UK’s leading open-air and pop-up cinema brands, the experience launches at ImmerseLDN near Royal Victoria Dock this spring.
The experience will have you battle it out in some of the series’ most recognisable games, plus childhood classics like musical chairs. Players’ rankings and scores from each game will be totted up via a wristband to keep things competitive. Gamers enter through a night market serving Korean food and drink, pass face scanners, and are split into teams by staff. They then enter the waiting room where they’ll see the faces of all the players on a big screen. Players will be under the watchful eyes of the infamous guards in red suits throughout, who will fill you in on the rules. There are prizes to be won, so gameplay is timed and tensions will run high. Exit via the giftshop if you want to stock up on Squid Game merch.
8. Saunders Planetarium
Open now
Location: Tampa, US
Experience Sector: Themed Attractions
MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science & Industry, has opened a Digital Dome Theatre, which will serve as the shiny new home of the Saunders Planetarium. The experience starts with a live tour of the night sky on a giant, 10,000-square-foot NanoSeam screen, guided by a MOSI astronomer. This is followed by a 30-minute 360-degree film that immerses guests in science, transporting them through outer space and back in time to the ancient past. Bigger and better than its previous incarnation, which only had room for 46 stargazers, the Digital Dome Theatre has over 330 seats, dramatically expanding its reach to budding young astronomers.
The upgraded 8K image technology, including 10 state-of-the-art Christie digital projectors powered by an Evans & Sutherland Digistar 7 control system with audio from custom Bowen speakers, offers significantly sharper, brighter, and more immersive visuals than the film tech previously used inside the dome. Last year, MOSI opened an interactive experience where young guests can fly drones. The new attraction, called Flight Club Drone Zone, invites visitors to control real drones while completing challenges, racing each other, and learning more about the tech.
7. The Little Prince Immersive Odyssey
Open now until 6 July 2025
Location: Paris, France
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s touching tale of love and loneliness, The Little Prince, is the latest story to be given the immersive treatment. Following on from a successful run in Bordeaux, Le Petit Prince: L’Odyssée immersive has landed at Atelier des Lumières in Paris. The dreamlike experience plunges visitors in the timeless world of The Little Prince. On epic surfaces, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s watercolours and words come to life, taking visitors to imaginary planets and across the golden dunes and starry skies of the desert as they follow the Little Prince on his quest for meaning and the discovery of important life lessons.
The story’s iconic figures: the Fox, the Rose, the Snake and the Sheep, come to life through light and movement, adding a new dimension to the tale’s themes of friendship, love, the search for meaning, childhood innocence versus adult experience, and the myriad ways we see the world. Published in 1943, The Little Prince has been translated into over 600 languages and dialects, making it the most translated book in the world after the Bible. Through projections, drawings, voice-overs and a bespoke soundtrack, the characters of timeless tale are brought to life, highlighting how it captured the attention of the world.
6. National Portrait Gallery Unframed
Opens: 2 May until 31 August 2025
Location: Manchester, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Art
Immersive art gallery Frameless has joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery to present the first major touring immersive art experience inspired by a UK art institution, which will make its debut at MediaCity in Manchester this month. Called National Portrait Gallery Unframed, visitors will be able to see the stories behind some of the nation’s favourite portraits come to life in front of their eyes. From royalty and cultural icons to leaders and national heroes, art lovers can immerse themselves in the fascinating stories of the people have shaped the UK’s history, from Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin and Oscar Wilde, to Queen Elizabeth I and II, Emmeline Pankhurst and Amy Winehouse.
Co-created by digital production studio Cinesite, stories will unfold during a journey that fuses the best of art and technology, with images and animations travelling across specially created frames within a 10,000sq ft purpose built digital gallery. This new long-term partnership will launch with ‘Stories – Brought to Life’, exploring the lives of people featured in the collection who have shaped the UK’s history and culture, from the Tudor period to the present day, which aims to push the boundaries of storytelling. The show will combine top quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects and the latest audio tech with music and narratives to tell the stories behind some of the gallery’s best-loved portraits.
5. Ballad Of Chu
Open now
Location: Wuhan, China
Experience Sector: Immersive Theatre
An all-singing, all-dancing immersive experience celebrating Jingchu culture has taken over immersive theatre venue Mulan Everbright Town in Wuhan. Called the Ballad of Chu, the visual feast has been brought to life with the help of 52 Christie 1DLP laser projectors. Blending Chinese history with cutting-edge technology, it’s the first large-scale indoor immersive experience themed around Jingchu culture, setting a high bar for the integration of projection tech into heritage-based attractions. Featuring multiple performance spaces, the 14,000sq m Mulan Everbright Town venue spans three storeys, with the third floor boasting 360-degree rotating seats and a four-sided immersive stage.
The Zhaojun Goes to the Frontier performance on the second floor uses six Captiva DWU500S projectors with electric gauze screens to achieve a dreamlike, soft-focus effect. On the first floor, the Battle of Red Cliffs installation immerses guests in ancient warfare through dynamic wall and floor projections powered by Inspire Series DWU860-iS projectors. The Ballad of Chu has been praised for delivering an immersive journey through history that both educates and entertains. Its success demonstrates the role that advanced projection technology can play in reimagining cultural narratives for modern audiences in vivid detail.
4. The Death Of Rasputin
Open now until 15 June 2025
Location: New York, US
Experience Sector: Immersive Theatre
Libertine faith healer Grigori Rasputin, the so-called ‘mad monk’ who weaved his way into the Romanov court in the waning years of imperial Russia is the subject of a bold new show in New York. Called The Death of Rasputin, the immersive production is the brainchild of female-led troupe Artemis Is Burning and is directed by Ashley Brett Chipman and the WXO’s own (and former Sleep No More resident director) Hope Youngblood, and produced by Kelly Bartnik, with Stephen Dobbie of Punchdrunk on sound and James Finnemore choreography. Visitors to the experience are encouraged to wear black out of respect for Rasputin, who was assassinated when his power and influence over the royal family became a threat to Russia.
Artemis Is Burning invites the audience to relive the heady days of decadence and treachery in an immersive performance in the atmospheric environs of Governors Island, with ferry trips to and from the island included in the ticket price. This satire unfolds at a lavish, unholy revel, conjuring the espionage and mysticism that danced at the edges of the Romanov dynasty in its twilight hour. Every character claws for dominion, every ambition is laced with poison and every grasp for power pulls them closer to the abyss. The cast includes Jake Ryan Lozano, Ginger Kearns, Zina Zinchenko, Adam Griffith and Audrey Tchoukoua.
3. Live Odyssey
Opens: 22 May 2025
Location: London, UK
Experience Sector: Immersive Entertainment
With London having spawned some of the world’s most famous bands, from The Who to The Rolling Stones, it seems only fitting that the city should now be home to a new immersive music experience that charts the evolution of British music. Called Live Odyssey, the Camden-based attraction will feature the likes of David Bowie, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys. Celebrating the rich tapestry of British music through a tribute to the sounds that shaped Britain, Live Odyssey will combine a show, an exhibition space, holograms of iconic acts and live sets. Look out for unseen footage and photography from the UK’s vibrant music scene, original album art, and music memorabilia, such as Bowie’s microphone from his epic Glastonbury set.
Taking visitors through six decades of music, from the early anthems of the ’60s and ’70s to the Britpop explosion of the ’90s and today’s smash hits, the experience takes around three hours. Fans will move through six themed rooms that immerse them in different musical eras by recreating the sights, sounds, and cultural moments that define each decade. Among the acts you’ll come across are: The Libertines, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen, the Sex Pistols, Kate Bush, The Smiths, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Blur, Radiohead, the Spice Girls, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa and Stormzy.
2. Viva El Gonzo
Opens: 8-10 May 2025
Location: San José Del Cabo, Mexico
Experience Sector: Live Events
Deep in the heart of the Mexican desert comes Viva El Gonzo, a three-day music and art extravaganza taking place in a sacred tropical oasis with a protected estuary on one side and the sea of Cortez on the other. Elevating the festival experience, it’s a full immersion escapade into the land of San José del Cabo, where you can wander the vibrant streets of downtown, go on an adventure in the desert, mountains, forest, or sea, and explore the local cuisine. The epicentre of the event is El Ganzo Oasis, a labyrinth of lush tropical growth, open fields and elaborate installations a short walk from the coastline of the Sea of Cortez. The oasis boasts two stages, unique pop-ups, group and wellness events, and local street food.
A short walk from the main stage – where headline act Goose will be performing each night – transports visitors to a post-apocalyptic world of art and music at Crania, a beachside club showcasing installations and live music late into the night. While you’re there you can stay centred with yoga classes and meditation sessions. Other bands in the festival line-up include: Thycho, Dawes, The War On Drugs, LP Giobbi, La Lom, Sierra Hull, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Presented by 100x Hospitality, the destination festival promises an immersive discovery journey offering a multifaceted experience where music, art, and culture collide and attendees can choose their own adventure.
1. Universal Epic Universe
Opens: 22 May 2025
Location: Orlando, US
Experience Sector: Themed Attractions
The wait is finally over – Universal Epic Universe in Orlando opens its doors this month and it looks like fans won’t be disappointed. From thrilling rides to tamer family fun, the theme park will boast over 50 rides, shows, restaurants and experiences spread across five themed lands. Among the most hyped is Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry, an elevator-style ride that allows for fast movements as well as rapid changes to scenes and story. The ride gives the sensation of falling and scaling great heights with the help of projection-mapped sets. You enter the attraction through the Métro-floo, a special effect that transports guests away from the French Wizarding World in the 1920s to the British Ministry of Magic in the 1990s.
Also of note is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a state-of-the-art ride that combines legends from classic Universal Pictures films. In Frankenstein’s Manor, guests enter under the catacombs of the manor to find Dr Victoria Frankenstein conducting her experiments. She fails to control Dracula and unleashes monsters like the Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Bride of Dracula. The 133 feet Stardust Racers ride sees visitors board a comet train to race across the stars on the duelling multi-launch coaster. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge utilises augmented reality and projection mapping, while on the Dragon Racer’s Rally ride, guests can control the angle of their seat’s wings, allowing them to make the ride more or less intense, depending on their preference.
