Oculus: an eye into St Paul's

29 June 2010

An innovative new permanent exhibition opens at St Paul's Cathedral on 14th July 2010. Oculus: an eye into St Paul’s uses state-of-the-art projection technology to immerse visitors in the fascinating stories and history of  this iconic landmark. 

The first project of its kind in a cathedral, Oculus is a 270° film experience that brings 1400 years of history to life. Located in the atmospheric former Treasury in the crypt, Oculus takes visitors to Saxon London amidst the construction of the first St Paul’s in 604AD, through the buildings on the site that have fallen to fire and disrepair, before showing them the Great Fire of 1666 and the devastation of London during the Blitz when St Paul’s became a lasting symbol of strength, survival and hope.

In Oculus visitors will also discover the life of the cathedral; experiencing St Paul’s as a vibrant church in the heart of a cosmopolitan city where worship forms the heartbeat and rhythm of our day. Two virtual access films open up areas of the cathedral that visitors with mobility issues might not otherwise reach. The first film flies visitors through the world-famous dome; whisking them up to the  Whispering Gallery before enjoying panoramic views across London from the Golden Gallery. A second film reveals Wren’s room-sized Great Model; 4 metre-high projections take visitors into the interior of the model and reveal its beauty in close-up detail.

Oculus is set within a timeline spanning 1400 years of history and interspersed between the films are timeline sequences in which images and dates float across the screens - encouraging moments of stillness and reflection.