05:00, 19 June 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
“A sustainable future is within reach,” are words from Sir David Attenborough that resonated from the immersive exhibition.
The Natural History Museum (NHM) officially opened the doors to its first-ever immersive experience, Our Story with David Attenborough — a groundbreaking celebration of humanity’s relationship with the planet. Created by award-winning Open Planet Studios, this cinematic experience merges stunning animations, full 360° projections, and real-world footage.
At the heart of it all is the distinctly comfortable voice of Sir David Attenborough, guiding audiences through the Earth’s four-billion-year journey and humankind’s relatively short but significant chapter.
Throughout the experience David Attenborough’s message is clear: our future is still unwritten, and we all have a role in shaping it.
Visitors will be transported from the dawn of life to the rise of Homo sapiens, past the grandeur of the great whales and the close kinship we share with gorillas. With the Museum’s Jerwood Gallery transformed by a mesmerising blend of moving images and a powerful original score by Nick Powell, this 50-minute experience presents a visually rich, emotionally resonant call to action — and hope.
After experiencing the immersive viewing, Smiley News had the opportunity to speak to Adam Farrar, Director of Commercial and Visitor Experience at the Natural History Museum, and Victoria Bromley, producer and director at Open Planet Studios.
Seeing Our Story with David Attenborough as a key part of the Museum’s wider mission: “We’re always looking for ways to inspire advocates for the planet. Our exhibitions, like Fixing Our Broken Planet, aim to show not only the challenges but also the real solutions – and the people behind them.”
Adam continues: “This new immersive experience continues that same goal. It’s scientifically rigorous, but also deeply personal. The hope is that people leave not only moved, but motivated.”
For Victoria Bromley, the project was a bold step into new creative territory. “This is my first time directing a 360° experience,” she said. “We brought in a team from theatre, opera, animation, and natural history to craft something truly unique, a theatrical journey through time, told by the ultimate storyteller.”
Victoria emphasises the importance of balancing realism and optimism: “We show satellite imagery of deforestation and ocean loss, but also highlight humanity’s ingenuity and nature’s resilience. The story is written like a choose-your-own-adventure and the audience is at the heart of it.”
The production integrates disciplines rarely seen side-by-side. Footage of gorillas in the wild is seamlessly interwoven with animations of subterranean fungal networks, visual metaphors that bring scientific concepts to life.
“One of the most surprising things for me was the depth of collaboration with scientists in the storytelling process,” Victoria continues. “Understanding things like mycorrhizal fungi or how trees communicate changes how we see our place in the ecosystem.”
Sir David’s voice leads visitors gently but firmly into reflection. While the exhibition acknowledges humanity’s missteps, it ultimately spotlights our capacity for adaptation and creativity.
Statistics are spaced throughout the experience, depicting, not only how vast the scope of human impact is, but also our awareness for pushing forward with solutions.
In a statement, Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, noted, “Sir David has been a close friend of the Museum for a long time. Hosting this experience is not only an honour, it’s a powerful statement of what we can do when we bring science, storytelling, and hope together.”
Tickets for Our Story with David Attenborough are available from NOW until 18 January 2026, starting at £20, with Museum members receiving a 50% discount. The experience joins an impressive lineup this season, including the Museum’s newest permanent gallery and the headline exhibition Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?
To discover more about this landmark experience, and to book your visit, head to the Natural History Museum’s official exhibition page.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Natural History Museum Foundation. This is a UK charity supporting the Natural History Museum's mission to advance public education by promoting the discovery, understanding, responsible use, and enjoyment of the natural world. Find out more.
Force of Nature. This is a youth-led organisation founded by climate activist Clover Hogan. The organisation provides education, leadership training, and global platforms to empower the next generation of changemakers. Learn more here.
Jerwood Foundation. This is a major UK-based funder dedicated to supporting excellence and innovation in the arts, education, and science. Programming held in the Jerwood Gallery at the Natural History Museum is directly supported by the Foundation. Support them here.
Photography © Open Planet Studios / Gavin Thurston AND © Trustees of the Natural History Museum
Production supported by the Jerwood Foundation.
