Illuminarium Experiences, a global experiential entertainment company, will be opening the world’s first Illuminarium on the Atlanta BeltLine in July 2021. This will be followed by more locations next year, such as Las Vegas and Miami, with plans to open over 40 venues in the next five years.
The company says it is on a mission to democratise the world’s most amazing experiences and will use these new venues to immerse visitors in a new world for a shared, connected experience.
Cutting-edge technology
Guests will become part of the story as the Illuminarium takes them to a range of immersive places, from the depths of the ocean to a wildlife safari or an epic musical performance. The content will be created by a team of experienced storytellers, cinematographers, visual effects specialists and creative technologists.
These real-life and re-created worlds will be brought to life without the need for wearable VR hardware. A 360×360 canvas, measuring 350 feet long and more than 20 feet high will surround visitors, and will be transformed thanks to cutting-edge laser projection as well as rich spatial beamforming audio, in-floor haptics, scent and lidar-based interactive technologies.
Partners that are helping to make this ambitious attraction a reality include Panasonic, Holoplot, Disguise and Electrosonic.
Immersive safari & space experiences
One of the first experiences will be WILD: Safari Experience, followed by SPACEWALK in early 2022.
When it opens in July, WILD: Safari Experience will let guests discover the beautiful animals of Africa in their natural surroundings, featuring cinematic content by Radical Media. This was shot on location in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania using custom camera arrays to provide a 240-degree native field of view. Guests will also experience authentic sounds and scents.
Meanwhile, SPACEWALK, opening 2022, will take visitors to outer space, allowing them to see what it would be like to walk on the surface of Mars and the Moon or to travel to fall-off galaxies.
Illuminarium Experiences has been created by a group of professionals bringing expertise from across the industry, including Alan Greenberg, co-founder of Avenues: The World School, Greenberg News Networks, Travel Holdings and former Publisher of Esquire Magazine. He takes on the role of CEO.
The company’s content partner is the award-winning Radical Media, led by Jon Kamen, and its design partner is Rockwell Group, founded by David Rockwell. The operational partner is Legends, which currently operates over 150 venues, attractions and experiences across the globe.
“In Illuminarium Experiences, we have created a global experiential brand that will produce unprecedented entertainment spectacles to transport consumers to many of the most coveted places and experiences on Earth and beyond,” says Greenberg.
“Through the extraordinary storytelling of Radical Media, the theatrical and architectural design of Rockwell Group and the operational expertise of Legends we have a team of best-in-class partners proudly democratizing the world’s most amazing places, people and experiences through highly engaging, socially conscious and educational immersive digital spectacles.”
Evening & educational content
The Illuminarium will also become an evening venue, where guests can enjoy quality food and drink against an ever-changing backdrop. Illuminarium After Dark will be one of the largest examples of real-time rendered content at this scale, with stunning environments designed and developed by the LAB at Rockwell Group.
Illuminarium will also be coming to AREA15 in Las Vegas in January 2022 and Mana in Miami in spring 2022 with other North American and international locations in the pipeline.
Illuminarium Experiences will also present educational content, with specially curated “field trips” on weekday mornings for primary and secondary pupils. In addition, it will ensure that its content is designed and operated in an environmentally conscious manner. For instance, for WILD, it partnered with WildArk and will donate a portion of all ticket and merchandising revenue annually to this global conservation organisation.
Furthermore, no single-use items will be in use at the venue, with biodegradable and compostable straws, plates, cups, lids and cutlery offered instead.
Illuminarium Experiences are designed using the latest post-COVID safety protocols, featuring air purification systems and a contactless environment. Visitors will have temperature checks and the venue will incorporate physical distancing measures.
