An immersive experience inspired by the likes of Meow Wolf and Area15 is being constructed in downtown Memphis.
The new attraction is called Baron Von Opperbean and the River of Time (BVO). An adaptive reuse project, it will be located inside the former Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island.
The transformation of the 33,000-square-foot facility will take place in phases, with an opening currently scheduled for late this year.
By artist and technologist Christopher Reyes, the immersive experience will be the first of this scale in the Southern US. It follows Reyes’ first attraction, the ‘Quadrant 360’ installation on display in Memphis in 2020.
“People loved Quadrant 360, and I learned so much from participants about what worked and what didn’t,” Reyes said. “We have new ideas, concepts and stories, and we’re excited to see our vision take shape at such an iconic place!”
The BVO team is using Wefunder to raise $10 million, which includes $5m for the project’s first phase. A recent economic impact report estimated the development will generate $66.2m and create 566 jobs.
“Much of the technology for projection mapping, spatial audio, and interactive elements isn’t cheap, and we’re building a space 15 times larger than the first BVO, so we’ll need to raise a good bit of money, but I’m confident that our community will respond,” Reyes added.
The BVO experience will be inspired by immersive destinations like Meow Wolf, Area15, Wake the Tiger and Otherworld.
BVO team raising $10 million
Creature Studio founder Kathryn Hicks is serving as the project’s extended reality (XR) lead. She will expand the experience through interactive technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR).
“We will create naturalistic, personalized interactions that feel genuine and immersive. This project holds tremendous potential for Memphis, setting a new global standard for immersive experiences, and showcasing the city’s creativity and innovation on an international stage,” she said.
On Quadrant 360, she added: “That was a transformative experience for me. The fact that Christopher was able to use techniques similar to those used by Universal and Disney, all while working with the community and using recycled materials, was incredibly impressive.”
Images courtesy of BVO
