First published 10 September 2024
Visions of Nature is an immersive experience that allows visitors to experience how the world looks in 2125 to see how human actions have shaped our planet.
- Visions of Nature is a new mixed reality experience hosted at the Museum which transports audiences 100 years into the future to see how the natural world has responded to the actions we take today
- Visitors will wear state of the art Microsoft mixed reality headsets in this immersive experience, which was created in a partnership between the Natural History Museum, Microsoft and SAOLA Studio
- Visions of Nature opens Thursday 24 October, book online now
Step into the future of the natural world with the Museum's newest exhibit. Visions of Nature is an immersive experience that allows visitors to experience how the world looks in 2125 to see how human actions have shaped our planet.
With the natural world in trouble, the imagined scenarios shown in this experience explore how nature's resilience has enabled species to adapt to the threats they face in the 21st century, aided by a helping hand from humanity. The experience presents the wonders of the natural world, from the Scottish Highlands to the Great Green Wall in Africa’s Sahel region, inspiring visitors to become advocates for the planet.
The experience is powered by Microsoft’s mixed reality headsets and imagined and co-produced by SAOLA Studio, a creative studio specialising in building augmented reality experiences for cultural institutions, with the latest science and research from Museum scientists informing the narrative.
The species featured, which are experienced as interactive holographic animations in the Microsoft headset, come to life in the Museum’s Darwin Centre. The tour features a selection of the Museum’s 80 million physical specimens, including a cuttlefish, Darwin’s frog and coconut crab.
A built-in scientific copilot called Hope is on hand to describe each story along the way. On one stop, Hope prompts visitors to hold out a hand to greet a Darwin’s frog, which leaps off to explore its home, an urban park in the city of Concepción, Chile. The species was close to extinction due to habitat loss in the 21st century, but the subsequent introduction of captive breeding programs meant species such as this frog could thrive in urban havens.
Another scene shows how the loss of ice sheets in the Arctic has led to increased crossbreeding between narwhal and beluga whales. In 2125, there are thriving populations of ‘narlugas’, whose movements scientists can track with AI technology to help safeguard the new families. Visitors can watch as a family bonds by playing with floating kelp.
Dr Alex Burch, Director of Public Programmes at the Natural History Museum, says: "Visions of Nature is an incredibly exciting, immersive experience – and the first offering of its kind for the Museum. Whilst visually beautiful, it also delivers a powerful message that the actions we take now can have a positive impact on the future.
“It presses fast-forward so visitors can see how nature has responded, for better and for worse, to the aftermath of centuries of human industrial activity as well as to the interventions we have introduced to remedy our unsustainable activity.
“We hope that visitors to Visions of Nature leave with a greater confidence to discuss the type of future they’d like to build and are driven to be part of the response to the planetary emergency."
Jeremy Frey, Co-founder and Director at SAOLA Studio, comments, “We are particularly proud to be working with the Natural History Museum on this new experience.
“Today, thanks to Microsoft HoloLens 2, we can propel visitors into the future, in all its mysterious, marvellous and disquieting aspects. Our creative team has brought life to realistic creatures that are just as precious and fascinating today as we are certain they will be tomorrow.
“This is not just a time travel; it is an immersive experience in which the visitor is challenged to become a part of a better world where balanced human-animal cohabitation is possible. We have a long way to go. Though we are not yet prepared to meet the challenge, we hope Visions of Nature helps us to take the right turn starting today.”
Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer at Microsoft, adds: "For centuries, imagining the future has brought hope and inspiration. From space exploration to technologies like the personal computer, imagination has helped to make the seemingly impossible possible. At a time when climate change and other global challenges can bring fears about the future, imagining what’s possible can give us the courage to keep going and to take the actions needed to create a more sustainable world.”
The new experience is part of the Museum’s advocacy program, Fixing Our Broken Planet, which aims to encourage visitors to reflect on their impact on the environment and feel inspired and empowered to protect our fragile planet.
Visions of Nature: A mixed reality experience opens in October 2024. Tickets are available now at nhm.ac.uk/visionsofnature.
Learn more about our "Fixing Our Broken Planet" program at nhm.ac.uk/our-broken-planet.
Information for Listings
WHAT: Visions of Nature: A mixed reality experience
WHEN: Thursday 24 October onwards
PRICE: Tickets £9.95, members receive 20% discount on ticket price
TICKETS: Available to pre-book now at nhm.ac.uk/visionsofnature
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Press Contact
For any enquiries, to request interview time or to register interest to attend the press preview, please contact:
Natural History Museum Press Office
press@nhm.ac.uk/ 07799 690151
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About Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museumis a world-leading science centre and one of the most visited attractions in the UK. A global source of curiosity, inspiration and joy.
Our vision is to build a future in which both people and the planet thrive.
We aim to be a catalyst for change, engaging advocates for the planet in everything that we do. Our 370 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency in all aspects of life.
Visit, join and support the Natural History Museum today. Protecting the planet. It's in our nature.
About SAOLA Studio
SAOLA Studio is a creative studio dedicated to writing and producing immersive augmented reality experiences for cultural venues. The projects, which use Augmented reality glasses, are designed in collaboration with the host venues, and are based on an original and innovative business model. SAOLA creations can be seen at the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, the Centre National de la mer de Nausicaà and at the Natural History Museum in London.
Jeremy Frey, Film Director and Co-founder of SAOLA Studio
Jeremy Frey is a documentary director working for channels such as National Geographic, France Télévisions, Netflix, Arte. His projects have taken him all over the world. He makes films on social issues and wildlife, notably with Florent Gilard and Rémi Dupouy.
Since 2020, for SAOLA studio, Jeremy and Florent have been producing augmented reality creations, committed to the living world (with 3 exhibitions in Paris, Boulogne sur Mer, and London).
He is involved with a number of NGOs for which he has directed several campaigns: IFAW (fight against species trafficking), GoodPlanet, WWF, Action Contre la Faim, Agrisud International, Ardian Foundation, AFD.
For the past 15 years, Jeremy has collaborated with Yann Arthus-Bertrand as director of photography, notably on the feature films Human and Woman.
Remi Dupouy, Author, Naturalist at SAOLA Studio
Rémi is a nature reporter. In 2020, he is the naturalist author and scientific relay for the immersive experience REVIVRE, co-produced by the National Museum of Natural History, Paris and SAOLA Studio.
For his projects, notably with Jeremy Frey, he collaborates with the world's leading organizations and specialists (IUCN, CITES, National Museum of Natural History, Paris), with a constant eye for veracity, clarity and authenticity.
His audiovisual accounts (featured as documentaries on National Geographic, France 5, Arte, Thalassa, WILDLive!, and Brut) focus as much on the biology of animals as they do on their relationship with humankind. In 2023, Rémi was co-author of the film VIVANT, an inventory of French biodiversity through the eyes of 200 passionate videographers, directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
