Major immersive experience narrated by Sir David Attenborough to open at Chester Zoo

A major immersive experience narrated by Sir David Attenborough is heading north for the first time, with Our Story with David Attenborough set to open at Chester Zoo this autumn.

The acclaimed production will arrive at the zoo on 17 October 2026, making Chester Zoo the first venue outside London to host the full original experience following its hugely successful run at the Natural History Museum.

More than 245,000 people have already experienced Our Story during its London run, which originally opened in June 2025 before being extended following a string of sell-out performances.

Created in collaboration with Sir David Attenborough and award-winning Open Planet Studios, the 50-minute immersive experience takes audiences on a spectacular journey through the four-billion-year story of Earth, alongside the much more recent story of humankind.

Rather than simply watching a film or walking through an exhibition, visitors are surrounded by the story, with extraordinary natural history footage, scientifically accurate animation and 360-degree projections filling walls and floors around them.

The production explores the interconnected stories of people and planet, looking at humanity’s profound impact on Earth while also considering how we can work with nature rather than against it.

Narrated by Sir David, whose lifetime of exploring and documenting the natural world has helped shape the experience, Our Story ends on a message of hope, leaving audiences with the sense that they can play a part in deciding what comes next.

The full original-scale version of the experience will take over Chester Zoo’s former Ape House, marking the first time audiences outside London will be able to experience it in its entirety.

Bringing Our Story to Chester also closely aligns with the zoo’s mission to prevent extinction, as well as its work as a conservation and education charity.

Dom Strange, Chief Operating Officer, at Chester Zoo, said: “Our Story is about the biggest story there is – the story of our planet and our place within it.

“That makes Chester Zoo a natural home for this extraordinary experience. We’re hugely excited to bring it to Chester, and particularly proud that we’re the first place outside London where people can experience the full exhibition.

“We want people to leave feeling inspired by the incredible world we’re part of – but also empowered to play their own role in protecting it. That’s at the heart of everything we do at Chester Zoo.”

Open Planet Studios developed Our Story with David Attenborough to immerse audiences in what its creators describe as “the biggest story of all time” – the interconnected story of people and planet.

The original experience at the Natural History Museum featured 17 projectors and 50 speakers, combining natural history cinematography, animation, storytelling and an original score by Tony Award- and Olivier Award-nominated composer Nick Powell.

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: “Our Story with David Attenborough has been one of the museum’s most successful experiences, immersing audiences in a wonderous exploration into our relationship with planet Earth.

“The museum’s mission is to create advocates for our planet and we and Open Planet Studios are keen to take the experience to as many people as possible. We are delighted that Chester Zoo is joining us on that journey to share this cinematic story with their visitors.”

Our Story with David Attenborough will open at Chester Zoo on 17 October 2026. Tickets are £15 but you’ll need to have a zoo ticket already too – you can find out more HERE.

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Featured image: Gavin Thurston