Tutankhamun: A Journey Through the Afterlife – Immersive Experience at the ExCeL

Some experiences really do bring out your inner child — especially when they manage to blend nostalgia with a touch of spectacle. I went to the famous Tutankhamun exhibition at the British Museum back in 1972 (yes, that one, with the queues down Great Russell Street and the golden mask that launched a thousand souvenir mugs). It was one of the first museum visits I really remember — the hushed rooms, the glittering treasures, the sense of stepping into another world. So when I heard about the new Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures immersive experience at the ExCeL London, I knew I had to go.

And I’m so glad I did.

Me at the start of the experience

This isn’t a traditional museum exhibition — there are a handful of original Egyptian artefacts behind glass, but not from Tutankhamun's tomb itself, and a lot of written information about the history of Egypt, the belief system about Tutankhamen and his family. Instead, it’s a thoughtfully staged, immersive experience.

You can see how entrancing the first immersive room is

The first big Tutankhamun immersive experience is a film screened on four walls telling the story of creation and Tutankhamen's story. You can sit on pouffes or lie on the floor to take it all in. There was a very funny moment where he heard children squeal as the plague of locusts ran down the walls and across the floor - loads of feet went off the floor! This was a pretty impressive start to the experience.

The second room we were seated and put on VR headsets and headphones, and were then transported as if we were Tutankhamen himself making his way from the saprophagous through to his rightful place with the gods. This was fun - watch out for the crocodile on the Nile though!

The final room was the highlight for me. Part of the 'Metaverse', we again donned VR headsets and were all turned into Howard Carter with a number (which is how you knew who your companions were), we then explored the tomb chambers in the way that Carter would have done - with an oil lamp in hand (don't forget to hold your arm out to get the full effect. This was a lot of fun, and everyone exited laughing.

Not my best look!

At the end of the experience there are photo booths turning you into Pharaohs - I can't say that I'm overly keen on the 5 o'clock shadow or the very large ears it gave me!

What really stood out for me was the scale of the whole thing — this is no poky gallery. It’s hard not to be swept up in the fun of it all, and children (and adults who once were children at the British Museum in 1972…) will be utterly enthralled.

It was swaying quite a bit in the wind whilst we were up there!

We made a bit of a day of it and took the Emirates cable car afterwards — a lovely way to glide across the Thames and see London from a slightly different perspective. It’s a fun, slightly surreal way to end the adventure.

The exhibition is located at ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL.

Tickets can be booked online at www.tutankhamunexpo.co.uk and prices vary depending on time and date, with discounts for children, families and off-peak slots. It’s open daily, and I’d recommend allowing a good 90 minutes to two hours to take it all in.

Whether you’re reliving childhood memories or discovering the story for the first time, Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures is a beautifully curated, immersive window into a world that continues to fascinate, a century after it was first uncovered.

A proper day out — and a rather magical one, at that.