dan pearlman, a leading brand and experience architecture group, is celebrating the world premiere of Polar Experience, which took place in Berlin on 6 December 2025. The immersive exhibition takes visitors on a journey to the world's coldest and most extreme regions, alongside leading scientists.
This virtual expedition to the Arctic and Antarctic features renowned polar researcher Prof. Dr. Markus Rex from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and is presented by ClimateXtremes and Galileo.
© Clara Marnette
It allows visitors to witness how international research teams conducted the largest polar expeditions ever to uncover the secrets of these icy regions. With advanced technology, immersive visuals and soundscapes, and interactive displays, the exhibition vividly brings to life the icy landscapes and their unique wildlife.
An interactive experience
“With Polar Experience, we aim to reach people of all ages—from 5 to 95—and spark enthusiasm for science, nature, and our planet,” says Nicole Srock.Stanley, inventor of the exhibition concept and founder of Climate Education and ClimateXtremes GmbH.
The exhibition is designed as an interactive experience that encourages active participation. Several interactive stations invite audiences to engage directly and brainstorm ideas for a sustainable future together.
© Alessandro Rovere
This format is made possible through partnerships with various institutions, companies, and NGOs. Polar Experience is produced by Seven.One Starwatch and presented by ProSieben's science brands Galileo and Galileo Kids.
As a subsidiary of Prosiebensat. 1 Media SE, seven.One Starwatch backs the exhibition with a wide-reaching, multi-channel communication campaign. COFO Entertainment serves as the local organiser in Berlin, with radioeins (rbb) as the broadcast media partner.
Many NGOs, including IZW Berlin and WWF Germany, provide content and expertise.
Immersive tech
Polar Experience is created in close partnership with scientific institutions and leading polar researchers worldwide.
Notably, insights and experiences from research expeditions by the Alfred Wegener Institute, renowned for polar and marine research under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Markus Rex, are central to the exhibition.
It also highlights the MOSAiC Expedition, the largest Arctic expedition in history, where international teams froze into the drifting sea ice aboard the research vessel Polarstern.
© Alessandro Rovere
Through collaboration with the Alfred Wegener Institute and other scientific partners, these discoveries are now accessible to the public through an immersive exhibition. Using advanced technology and engaging staging, visitors can explore the polar regions, their icy landscapes, and unique wildlife firsthand.
The Arctic and Antarctic are vividly brought to life, with virtual experiences, immersive visuals, and compelling soundscapes transporting visitors to the North Pole, the heart of the Polarstern expedition, and the Neumayer Research Station near the South Pole.
A journey to the North and South poles
The experience kicks off with a virtual boarding of the research vessel Polarstern. In the boarding room, Rex prepares participants for their adventure into the eternal ice.
The journey then proceeds through the exhibition area, Fascination Ice, leading into the largest experience space. Here, an interactive 360° projection vividly depicts the Arctic and Antarctic, highlighting the beauty of nature and polar wildlife in an engaging and emotional way.
Visitors then proceed to two more rooms dedicated to habitats in the polar regions. The Animal Habitat features iconic species like the polar bear, seal, sea eagle, and penguin. The Human Habitat showcases a documentary about the Yupik people, with impactful messages directed to the world, in a film by Alessandro Rovere.
The exhibition concludes in the Act Now Room, an interactive, festival-like space that showcases opportunities for climate and environmental action. Here, numerous companies, start-ups, and NGOs showcase their efforts to protect the environment.
© Alessandro Rovere
Visitors are invited to participate through engaging activities, ranging from simple daily actions to large-scale projects. Designed for everyone from ages 5 to 95, all activities are accessible, meaningful, and focused on the future of the planet.
The immersive experience starts and ends in the Welcome Lobby, which includes ticketing, a service desk, and a thoughtfully curated selection of products.
Something for everyone
Polar Experience blends scientific accuracy with modern storytelling to craft a captivating virtual journey. This immersive experience brings research to life, letting visitors follow in the footsteps of polar scientists. Icy landscapes, expeditions, and accurate scientific information combine to create an engaging, inspiring, and family-friendly adventure.
Each visitor becomes an advocate for environmental protection. This exhibition goes beyond traditional museums, offering a virtual trip to Earth’s polar regions that connects people to some of the most remote areas on our planet.
© Clara Marnette
The edutainment aspect of the exhibition is further improved by incorporating Galileo and Galileo Kids. Young explorers are led through the expedition by Cosmo, the alien character familiar from Galileo Kids. Meanwhile, science enthusiasts can explore complex concepts in depth at the Galileo knowledge stations.
