Prehistoric Planet: Dinosaurs Exhibition Draws Summer Crowds in Beijing
An immersive giant-screen experience featuring life-sized prehistoric creatures is captivating young audiences at Beijing’s 798 Art District this summer, drawing large numbers of children eager to explore the world of dinosaurs through cutting-edge 360-degree projection technology. The exhibition, titled “Prehistoric Planet: Dinosaurs – The Epic Immersive Experience,” welcomed visitors on August 2 as part of its Asian premiere, according to Xinhua News.
A New Way to Experience Prehistoric Life
The exhibition, located at the 798 Art District’s Fuxing Plaza in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, transports audiences back 66 million years to the Cretaceous period through a 360-degree fully-surrounding giant screen. Unlike traditional natural history exhibitions centered around static fossils, this experience uses cinematic storytelling and immersive projection technology to bring prehistoric giants to life at actual scale, as People’s Daily reported.
The exhibition features more than 30 prehistoric species and is divided into six themed chapters, from the Age of Giants to the Tree of Life and Patterns in Evolution. Visitors can witness iconic scenes including a Tyrannosaurus rex hunt, giant dinosaurs roaming ancient wildernesses, and marine reptiles breaching ocean surfaces.
Dual-City Asian Premiere
The Beijing exhibition, running from July 16, 2026 to January 3, 2027, is part of a dual-city Asian premiere that also includes a venue at the West Bund Museum in Shanghai, which opened on June 27 and runs until January 17, 2027. The Shanghai government’s official website notes that the exhibition marks the first time this immersive experience has been shown in Asia, following successful runs in London and Paris.
The exhibition is produced by London’s Lightroom and presented in China by OUTPUT, in collaboration with Apple TV and BBC Studios Natural History Unit. It is adapted from the acclaimed Apple TV+ documentary series “Prehistoric Planet,” which holds a Douban rating of 9.3 and was executive-produced by Hollywood filmmaker Jon Favreau, narrated by David Attenborough, and scored by multiple Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer.
A Family-Friendly Summer Attraction
The timing of the exhibition aligns with China’s summer vacation period, when cultural venues across the country organize special programs targeting young audiences. As ExcellentSH detailed, the exhibition combines entertainment with education, making it a popular destination for families seeking both fun and learning experiences during the school break.
Ticket prices at the Beijing venue range from 88 to 108 yuan, according to the event listing on Huodong.com. The exhibition runs in scheduled sessions, with operating hours from 11:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 21:00 on weekends.
Behind the Scenes
Richard Slaney, CEO of Lightroom, expressed enthusiasm about bringing the experience to Asian audiences: “We’re thrilled to take our audiences back in time to meet these amazing Dinosaurs, often life-size, in the incredible 360 environment that Lightroom offers. Prehistoric Planet is a groundbreaking series, and it’s exciting to work closely with the creative team to create something that sends a shiver down the spine for all ages!”
Mike Gunton, Executive Producer of Prehistoric Planet and Creative Director of BBC Studios Natural History Unit, described the experience as “stepping into a time machine and travelling back to the time when dinosaurs ruled Planet Earth,” noting that “there’s nowhere else where you can be surrounded by the most amazing animals to have ever lived — see them all life-size, and really close-up.”
The exhibition was directed and designed by 59 Studio in collaboration with the original documentary’s creative team. The Chinese voiceover is narrated by voice actor Liu Cong, whose captivating narration guides audiences through oceans, volcanoes, canyons, and forests.
A Growing Trend in Immersive Culture
The exhibition represents a broader trend in China’s cultural landscape, where immersive experiences combining natural history storytelling with cutting-edge technology are gaining popularity. OUTPUT, the Chinese presenting partner, has previously brought internationally acclaimed immersive cultural IPs to China, including “David Hockney: Bigger & Closer” and “VOGUE: Inventing the Runway.” This marks the company’s expansion into natural science and digital storytelling.
As summer cultural activities continue across China, the Prehistoric Planet exhibition stands out as a compelling example of how museums and cultural venues are engaging young audiences through innovative formats that make complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining. With both the Beijing and Shanghai venues running through the end of 2026 and into early 2027, families have ample opportunity to embark on this prehistoric journey.