Paddington Bear, Bubbles & 20 More Of London’s Best Immersive Experiences

Their popularity shows no sign of waning: immersive experiences in London are firmly on the agenda. Be transported to another time, place or dimension with one of these spots – from virtual reality to huge exhibitions, themed parties to unique theatre. Intrigued? Ready to try something new? Step out of your comfort zone and into a world of imagination…

London’s Best Immersive Experiences 2024

Gruber’s Shop © Harry Johnson

The Paddington Bear™ Experience

A new large-scale interactive Paddington Bear™ Experience has finally opened its doors at County Hall on the Southbank, with plenty of marmalade goodness unfolding across a 26,000 sqft space. Get ready to be thrown into the thick of the action as you embark on a mission to help Paddington and the Brown family prepare for a very special day – The Marmalade Day Festival, no less – immersed in iconic locations from the films including Paddington Station and culminating in a Windsor Gardens extravaganza. Guests can expect numerous themed rooms, interactive games, character interactions and plenty of surprises.

Details: Now open at County Hall (Belvedere Road, London SE1 7GP). Tickets start from £24 and can be booked at paddingtonbearexperience.com

OTHERWORLD: The David Attenborough Immersive Anthology

Nature fan looking for a new immersive experience in London? We’ve found the perfect thing for you to try this weekend in London: OTHERWORLD’s David Attenborough Immersive Anthology. A three-part immersive journey narrated by David Attenborough, this stunning 8K virtual reality casts nature’s beasts and beauties into sharp relief, featuring carnivorous flytraps, majestic butterflies and towering pterosaurs, all brought to life by state-of-the-art 3D cinematography and computer graphics, spatial audio and tactile bass technology.

Details: OTHERWORLD has two London venues: Victoria (85 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0QJ) and Hackney (336 Acton Mews, Haggerston, London E8 4EA). Tickets are £35 per person for the 70 minute experience, including a 15 minute interval, and can be purchased at other.world

Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience

Travel back in time to HG Wells’ dark Victorian England in a multi-sensory immersive experience, taking place at The Old London Metal Exchange. Using immersive theatre, virtual reality, augmented realit holograms and other cutting-edge technology, visitors will be able to experience the fictional Martian invasion narrated in HG Wells’ War Of The Worlds, and in Jeff Wayne’s musical interpretation of the story. Audiences will be guided along in small groups of 12 by live and virtual actors, as they walk, crawl and slide through different scenes: from drinking tea in a Victoria household while Martians roam outside to witnessing an enormous Martian Fighting Machine rise above them in virtual reality. The experience stimulates all the senses – you’ll smell the grass and feel the chill of the story’s famous Horsell Common, and feel the ground shake as the first cylinder lands. The total run lasts for 110 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission in the Red Weed Bar. Finish by enjoying a bite to eat and a drink at the steampunk themed bar.

Details: 56 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 2BJ. thewaroftheworldsimmersive.com

Bubble Planet

Having debuted in Milan and since expanded to LA and Brussels, there is a new family-friendly immersive experience in London: Bubble Planet. Unleash your inner child and delve into 11 bubble-themed rooms, journeying through fantastical landscapes and interactive scenery. Expect to find colours, lasers, lights, 360-degree projects, virtual reality and, of course, bubbles aplenty.

Details: Bubble Planet is open at 22 Fulton Road, Wembley HA9 0TF. Prices start at £17.90 for adults and £13.90 for children. VIP tickets, group bundles and family passes are also available. Book at bubble-planet.com

The Big London Bake

So close to The Great British Bake Off, you can taste it. All you need to bring from your cupboard is yourself and a friend. The Big London Bake provides all the ingredients you’ll need to bake the monthly recipe. With instructions by your side, a professional baker on hand and a trove of customisable decorations in the ‘creation corner’, your team will have the keys to create a winning masterpiece or a right old mess.

Details: Haggerston (Under the Bridge, Lee St, London E8 4ED) & Tooting (The Castle, 38 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RG). thebiglondonbake.com

© The Other Richard

Dead On Time

Ever wanted to step into the crime novels written by the likes of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle? With the help of British Pullman, now you can. The iconic steam train is inviting passengers to hop aboard and be transported back to 1951, where a group of characters are making their way to London for the Festival of Britain. Disaster falls, however, when someone is found murdered. It’s up to you, along with your fellow passengers, to solve the case and find the culprit before it’s too late. The journey will take you on a circular route through Kent, starting and finishing at London Victoria, and comes with a specially curated five-course menu and a bottle of wine. Read more about the experience here.

Details: Select dates, departing from Victoria Station (Victoria Street, London SW1E 5ND). Book at belmond.com

Nikos Taverna at Mamma Mia! The Party

Mamma Mia! The Party

Mamma Mia! fan? This is the immersive experience of dreams: a big party dedicated to the sun-soaked movie musical, featuring an all-singing, all-dancing cast, plus a delicious Greek feast to tuck into while they party around you. If you’re well-acquainted with Sophie and Donna’s stories, get ready for a different story to be told at this party: we meet Nikos, Kate, Adam and Konstantina who navigate family life in a Greek taverna in Skopelos.

Details: Wednesday–Sunday evenings, with matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays at The O2 (Unit 6.05, The O2 Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX). Tickets can be purchased at mammamiatheparty.co.uk

The Making of Harry Potter At Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Celebrating 11 years since opening, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London has launched a selection of new features at its immersive ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ tour, called ‘Discovering Hogwarts’, bringing Harry’s early years at Hogwarts to life. Visitors can now see 400 floating candles in the Great Hall, learn the filmmaking secrets behind the floating feather when Harry mastered the Wingardium Leviosa spell with Ron and Hermione in Professor Flitwick’s Charms Class, watch a live demonstration of how Robbie Coltrane’s body double was fitted with stilts and a prosthetic head to achieve Hagrid’s towering height, and create an origami ‘Sorting Ceremony’ chatterbox to take away.

Details: Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR. wbstudiotour.co.uk

© Johan Persson

Witness For The Prosecution

Situated in the spectacular Chamber Room in the old London County Hall on the Southbank, Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution is London’s longest-running site-specific theatre production. A story of justice, passion and betrayal, viewers are immersed in court room surroundings as the gripping plot unfolds. Leonard Vole is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth. Will Leonard survive the shocking witness testimony? Will he be able to convince the jury – and you – of his innocence, and escape the hangman’s noose?

Details: Tuesday–Sunday behind the London County Hall (Belvedere Road, London Eye Street SE1 7PB). witnesscountyhall.com

The London Dungeon

The London Dungeon is one of London’s original immersive experiences – but it’s still worth a visit in 2024, especially for horror fans. Step off the bustling South Bank into a world of gore and the macabre, emulating London’s dark history through actors, special effects and rides.

Details: Everyday at the Riverside Building (County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB). Tickets can be booked at thedungeons.com

Deadwood Valley Experience at Sandbox VR London

Do you have the skills to survive a zombie apocalypse? Test your metal against the ravenous hordes of Deadwood Valley, the latest gaming experience at Holborn’s Sandbox VR. Can you save civilians and protect the professor – thereby safeguarding humanity’s last chance of a cure from a terrifying plague? Expect genuine immersion through haptic vests (you’ll feel the buzz of any stray bullets and bites), full-body tracking, and even wind simulation to transport you into this incredible (and sometimes terrifying) world. And if zombies are less your thing, the immersive-studio-cum-experiential designers offer a range of games, from the futuristic Amber Sky to the swashbuckling and family-friendly Curse Of Davy Jones. Make sure – no matter which game you choose to save the world in – to finish your experience with a cocktail whipped up by Sandbox’s own robot bartender.

Details: Everyday at The Post Building (High Holborn, London WC1A 1PB). sandboxvr.com

The Murdér Express

Climb aboard The Murdér Express, an immersive experience set on a glamorous 19th century-style train in East London. Sip drinks from Pedley Street Station’s ‘Seven Sins’ Bar and enjoy food from MasterChef finalist Louisa Ellis as the mysterious story unfolds around you. As you journey to the (fictional) town of Murdér, expect to be joined by characters such as East End Costermonger Frank, a music hall star Tilley and local antique dealer Cliff.

Details: Pedley Street Station, Arch 63 Pedley Street, London E1 5BW. Tickets from £65, funicularproductions.com

Twist Museum

Artists, neuroscientists and philosophers came together to create this mind-bending immersive experience: Twist Museum. Step inside to have your perspective challenged, experience the joy of illusion, and ultimately just play a little.

Details: 248 Oxford St, London W1C 1DH. Tickets start from £15 and can be booked at twistmuseum.com

Frameless © Jordan Curtis Hughes

Frameless

This permanent immersive art exhibition space opened in Marble Arch in 2022, and it’s still going strong: Frameless. Drawing together over 40 artworks across four galleries, expect new interpretations of recognisable and timeless classics stretched across vast spaces and around bends, accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack. Read our full review of Frameless here

Details: Everyday at Frameless (6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP). Adult tickets from £25, and child tickets from £15, with free admission for children under 5 years old.

Hijingo Bingo

This is bingo – but not as you know it. Held in an 8,000 sq ft space in Shoreditch, Hijingo Bingo combines live entertainment with video, music and audio effects to create an immersive experience where players will be kept on the edge of their seats. There’s an array of prizes to win, and those who strike gold will be showered with glory on a podium-like stage. As they play, visitors can also enjoy cocktails and Asian-inspired dishes, from bao buns to dirty rice and classic burgers.

Details: 90 Worship St, London EC2A 2AP. hijingo.com

Dopamine Land

Calling all ASMR lovers, immersive experience fanatics or just those who fancy a boost of serotonin – South Ken’s newest immersive installation promises is the brainchild of Fever, and aims to boost those essential dopamine levels. Guests will enter on a multisensory journey through a collection of differently themed rooms, each intended to overload the senses, often through nostalgic nudges. You can embrace your inner child in the video-game style room, be transported to a festival with the woodland-style room lit with glowing lanterns or lose yourself in the Yayoi Kausama-inspired room with its hanging multicoloured-lights and mirrors. Each room will tantalise the senses and absorb the mind – the volume’s turned up high, the smells are evocative, and the decor is dazzling. End your journey in the rainbow-coloured warehouse-style bar at the end and finish off with one of their special bubble-tea cocktails.

Details: Everyday at 79-85 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LD. dopaminelandexperience.com

SENSAS

SENSAS is all about playing with and exploring your senses, encouraging visitors to face their fears and lose control like never before. Groups experience a series of challenges over two hours, some in complete darkness. Best of all, you collect tokens throughout the experience which are then converted into a real donation to SENSAS’ charity partner, Disability Snowsport UK, supporting people with disabilities.

Details: Open everyday from 9am–11pm at SENSAS London (Arch 17 Miles St, London SW8 1RZ). london.sensas.top

Immersive Gamebox

Whether it’s a fun and unique date night, a friends gathering or a team building outing with colleagues, Immersive Gamebox is the ideal choice for healthy competition. Players can choose from the likes of Squid Game and Angry Birds, playing in a private Gamebox which comes alive with projection mapping, motion tracking and surround sound.

Details: Venues in Shoreditch (2a, & 2b, Principal Pl, Worship St, London EC2A 2BA), Southbank (Arch 3, 83 Scoresby Street, London SE1 0XN) & Wandsworth (GRAVITY Wandsworth Southside, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 4TF). immersivegamebox.com

The Crystal Maze Live Experience

Fans of games should give this immersive experience a try. Inspired by the popular 90s TV show, at The Crystal Maze Live Experience, visitors can expect 90s vibes galore across four zones – Industrial, Futuristic, Medieval and Aztec – brimming with mental and physical challenges. You’re on a mission to gather as many Crystals as possible, which will earn you more time in the eponymous Crystal Dome.

Details: For groups of up to 8 people at 22–32 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EU. Prices start from £62 each and can be booked at the-crystal-maze.com

Ballie Ballerson

London’s original Instagrammable experience: Ballie Ballerson is a cocktail bar with two giant ball pits (featuring over a million balls) and vibrant decor in Shoreditch. It’s the perfect immersive experience if you’re looking for a more memorable night out, or visit for one of their famous bottomless brunches.

Details: Open Tuesday–Sunday at 97-113 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3BS. ballieballerson.com

Supperclub Tube

A tube carriage might not be your first thought when it comes to fine dining, but Supperclub Tube has been pleasing diners for six years now. Set on a decommissioned 1967 Victoria line carriage in Walthamstow, Nick Atkins and head chef Bea serve up a delicious, Latin inspired six course feast, drawing on ancestral and modern techniques and British seasonal produce. It doesn’t get more London than this.

Details: Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum (10 S Access Rd, London E17 8AX). Find out more at supperclub.tube