Proving that experience is the most valuable product in the event industry, immersing LDN is a venue that advocates experience, nostalgia and immersion, creating a world where people want to attend, but also actively become part of storytelling.
It tells everything from the creative collaboration between the venue and organizer to how it came to fruition by Immerse LDN, Damian Norman, Damian Norman of Excel London, Damian Norman of Jelle de Jong, CEO of Madrid Artes Digitales.
Located at Excel’s Waterfront, the LDN space began with Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Disney 100: The Exhibition and the Friends® Exhibition, known as the “Chapter.”
New type of exhibition
The venue opened a world where B2B events seamlessly blend with B2C events. Opening opportunities for conferences and exhibition participants to take their families to take advantage of time in London is evidence of what immersing LDN was lacking in event space.
Damian Norman, director of Immersive Entertainment & Events at Excel London, says that compared to Excel’s core business, Excel can now create different customer arrival experiences for family and leisure visitors.
“This is important for both audiences, that means they have the experience they expect,” he says. “The experience also runs on a different visitor curve than a typical B2B event that is busy mid-week (Tuesday to Thursday), but LDN is the busiest weekend.
How to bring the exhibition to life
What do I need to bring to life the exhibition with Immerse LDN? Collaboration is important, according to Norman.
“We enjoy a very close and collaborative partnership with all our Immerse LDN tenants. It’s key to delivering a top-notch customer experience with a ‘always open’ approach,” he says.
“FKP Scorpio Entertainment is one of our founding partners and we work with them to program the exhibition,” he explains. “We will then make sure we are part of the due diligence process and physically visit the exhibit worldwide to ensure the best possible fit.”
Tutan Kamun’s story follows the life and legacy of a young pharaoh, whose mysterious death and rich, preserved tombs continue to captivate the world. Immerse LDN has long been hoping to host a historic showcase, but this opportunity was ideal.
“For Tutankhamun, the IP creator is Madrid Artes Digitales. They are tier 1 operators who have many successful exhibitions in the genre,” says Norman.
Awaken the king
Jaredejeong, CEO of Madrid Art Digital, discusses the process of creating a Tutankon exhibition, highlighting works that are involved in curating immersive experiences like King Tutu.
“It all started with a script,” says De Jung. “Our historian, Egyptologist and curator, Nachoarez, oversaw the creative team when they broke the content and drafted the story. From there we moved on to storyboarding and set design.
“When these elements were approved, the animation team began work and the composers joined in developing the sheet music. They then improved on the ongoing cuts, delivered the final render, recorded audio over, orchestras and choirs, enriching the experience.”
It is often easy to underestimate the work of creating fact-based storytelling aspects of exhibitions, especially historical aspects like Tutang Kamun. De Jong says the historic content was developed under the guidance of in-house Egyptologist and curator Nachoarez, with support from a team of researchers and writers.
“They ensured that every detail was accurate and engaging and that the story flowed seamlessly through each exhibition space,” he explains.
Multi-sensory experience
Tutankhamun: The exhibition includes two virtual reality experiences that allow participants to explore the lives of ancient Egypt and kings. It is a vibrant, multi-sensory encounter where guests can not only see but feel the world of ancient Egypt.
“When we first came up with the show, ‘Meta Birth’ wasn’t on the horizon yet. There was a sitting VR experience,” explains De Jung. “After seeing the success of our first VR prototype and winning several industry awards (including three Terry Awards), we decided to build a completely immersive metaverse component, which will allow visitors not only to observe, but also to take their time to step into Howard Carter’s excavation camp.”
He adds: “Two years after the first premiere, a year after the addition of Metaverse, we developed a hologram on the mummification process of TUT, especially for London’s immersion.
So why Tutang Kamun?
“2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb, and Tutan Kamun remains one of the most enduring icons of ancient Egypt. His story continues to captivate audiences around the world.
Norman says the exhibition was received beautifully.
“We had great reviews and notable ticket sales so we couldn’t ask for more,” he says.
What will the future look like?
“We are committed to finding tier 1 operators who can build and present original and licensed IPS to the highest possible standards. We want to work with people who care about how people feel and have lasting memories,” Norman says.
Starting in July this year, Immerse LDN will attract approximately 2 million visitors a year. With that amount of people, logistics and practical challenges inevitably arise weekly, but working with like-minded Tier One partners can help you overcome them.
And that’s not all. The venue recently announced the evolution of Elvis and the addition of the squid game coming to Spring 2025.
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