Smithsonian Starstruck is now open at the Science Museum in South Kensington, taking visitors on a 40-minute immersive journey through the cosmos built from real astronomical data.
If the universe feels abstract when you’re reading about it, this might be the antidote. Smithsonian Starstruck, a free-roam VR experience developed with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, opened at the Science Museum on 26 June and it’s the most ambitious piece of space-themed immersive entertainment to land in London this summer.
The distinction from other VR experiences is worth making: this isn’t a visualisation designed to look plausible. It’s built from actual astronomical data gathered by the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, translated into a walkable virtual universe you can physically move through. You drift past thousands of galaxies, race through the Milky Way, approach the edge of a supermassive black hole and witness a dying star, all within 40 minutes, all without leaving South Kensington.
The experience begins at the summit of the Smithsonian’s Whipple Observatory in Arizona, where a cosmic guide named Astro sets you on your way. From there it’s a journey across scales that the human brain genuinely struggles to process in the abstract: the difference between a star and a galaxy, between our solar system and the observable universe. The experience earns its place at the Science Museum rather than a pop-up venue precisely because it’s doing something genuinely educational rather than just spectacular, though it manages to be both.
Running approximately 40 minutes, recommended for ages 10 and up, and with strong accessibility provisions including low-sensory days, captions and wheelchair-optimised viewing. Note that entry to the Science Museum itself is free but must be booked separately before purchasing Starstruck tickets.
The London x London Take: London has a lot of immersive VR experiences right now, and the quality varies enormously. This one has genuine scientific credibility behind it and a setting that suits it. Worth going on a weekday if you can.
Need to Know
- Where: Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
- When: Open now
- Duration: Approximately 40 minutes
- Age: Recommended 10 and up
