SIX unique experiences to discover the history of Cleopatra.

Essential Companion tickets are intended for customers requiring additional support. This must be due to disability-related needs, significant and in excess of what could be reasonably expected of family or friends already accompanying you. Companions must be booked in advance during the booking process, when you purchase tickets for the exhibition. As companions are acting as a chaperone, they will not be offered a headset for the metaverse room. 

A companion ticket can be claimed by those who are severely sight impaired or deaf, and by those who can show one of the following forms of documentation upon arrival. Without this documentation we will be unable to honour the complimentary Companion/PA ticket.  Accepted forms of documentation include: 

• Middle or Higher rate DLA for care and/or mobility. 
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) documentation. 
• CredAbility Access Card with a “+1” category requirement. 
• A recognised Assistance Dog ID card.

Please note that the guest requiring assistance must have a valid entry ticket. Documentation may not automatically award Personal Assistant or Essential Companion tickets for children under 16, as children are always required to be under the direct supervision of a responsible adult in our venues. If the visitor is a child, to obtain a free Companion or PA ticket, there must be at least one full-priced General Admission ticket in the group.

Immerse LDN at Excel London Waterfront provides step-free access via the ramp down to the waterfront, but not via the main/West entrance to Excel London. Custom House station offers full accessibility with lifts from the platform to the bridge. If arriving via Prince Regent DLR Station, there are lifts available that lead directly to a footpath entering the venue.  

For more detailed information on accessible facilities at the venue, please visit the Excel London website: Accessibility Information.

Yes, assistance dogs are welcome, including those from ADUK, accredited training companies, and owner-trained dogs. Please be aware that if the dog’s behaviour does not meet the required standards, entry may be denied.  

According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, assistance dogs are highly trained to:  

• Stay with their owner and not wander freely.  
• Sit or lie quietly on the floor next to their owner.  
• Avoid fouling in public areas.  
• All assistance dogs must remain on a lead at all times.

Unfortunately, electric mobility scooters are not permitted inside the metaverse space. The experience is not designed to ensure the safety of such vehicles - neither for the person using it nor for the people around. The VR glasses were not developed to be used while operating this type of mobility aid within the experience.

Only a standard manual wheelchair, accompanied by a companion to assist, who can monitor the other audience members without participating in the experience, is allowed inside. We have a manual wheelchair on standby should anyone using an electric mobility scooter wish to experience the Metaverse. 

Visitors can continue to use the electric scooter elsewhere in the exhibition and then switch to a manual wheelchair when entering the metaverse, switching back afterwards.

Please check our ticketing agent (Fever’s) website for opening times.  

Cleopatra: The Experience is open daily from 10am. Entry closes 15 minutes after the final timeslot begins. 

(Doors close 15 minutes after the last session and the exhibition closes two hours after the last bookable time slot).

Cleopatra: The Experience is a large scale immersive exhibition that combines archaeology, historical research and advanced digital technology to explore the life, reign and legacy of Cleopatra, the final queen of Ancient Egypt.

Set across 3,000 square metres and 9 interactive galleries, the experience blends original archaeological artefacts with holograms, 360º cinematic projection, virtual reality, a free roaming digital metaverse and interactive installations. Visitors journey back to the 1st century BCE through rich historical storytelling, guided by curatorial expertise and the latest immersive techniques.

The London edition closely follows the Madrid experience, with the addition of over 22 original archaeological artefacts from the Hellenistic and Late Egyptian periods, creating a stronger museological layer and a direct connection to the material culture of Cleopatra’s world.

On average, visitors spend 90 minutes or more exploring the full experience, depending on their level of engagement in each room.

Each area of the exhibition offers a different perspective on Cleopatra, using a distinct narrative approach and immersive format. Historical context is woven throughout the experience, particularly within the archaeological artefacts, Cleopatra’s private spaces and the recreation of Alexandria.

Hologram Experience:
The journey begins with a large scale hologram presentation that traces the rise and fall of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. From the arrival of Alexander the Great to the final days of Greek rule in Egypt, this experience establishes the historical framework that shaped Cleopatra’s reign and the world she inherited.

Digital Metaverse Experience:
Visitors then enter a free roaming Digital Metaverse, wearing augmented reality goggles that allow them to move independently through key moments in history. They witness Alexander the Great’s coronation at the Siwa Oasis, explore the catacombs of Alexandria and step inside Mark Antony’s tent during the Battle of Actium. The experience culminates inside Cleopatra’s royal chamber, where she walks onto her balcony to gaze out over the Bay of Alexandria and the Lighthouse.

Archaeological Artefacts Experience:
A carefully curated selection of over 22 original artefacts from the Hellenistic and Late Egyptian periods is presented within the flow of the experience. Terracotta sculptures, bronze deity figures, cosmetic vessels, glass mosaic fragments and demotic papyri provide a tangible connection to Cleopatra’s world, grounding the digital narrative in authentic material culture and everyday life of the Ptolemaic era.

Cleopatra’s Private Chambers:
Inspired by the royal palaces of Alexandria, this space explores Cleopatra’s personal world and carefully constructed image. Interactive mirrors and installations reveal the symbolism behind her makeup, hairstyles and beauty rituals, highlighting how aesthetics, power and identity were deeply intertwined in Ancient Egypt.

Alexandria and the Lighthouse:
A three-metre-wide balcony projection recreates Cleopatra’s view over the Bay of Alexandria, placing visitors inside the city at the height of its power. An expansive interactive map reveals Alexandria’s most important landmarks and its role within the wider Mediterranean world. The space is enhanced with atmospheric scents and sensory elements and culminates in a spectacular video mapping and sound show projected onto a five-metre-tall recreation of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Immersive 360º Hall:
Visitors then enter a vast 360º, eight-metre-high projection space where Cleopatra’s story unfolds through cinematic chapters. Guests soar over Alexandria, witness her coronation, enter the Library of Alexandria, explore the Temple of Isis and follow her alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, ending with the Battle of Actium. 

For the first time in an immersive exhibition of this kind, newly developed techniques create a seamless 360º camera rotation through a carefully crafted visual illusion, shifting perspective as Cleopatra writes her intimate letter to Julius Caesar.

Virtual Reality Experience:
The experience concludes with a seated, full motion Virtual Reality journey beneath the sea. Visitors witness the earthquake that submerged Alexandria, explore underwater ruins and forgotten temples and follow the archaeological search for Cleopatra’s tomb, culminating in her burial ritual inside the Temple of Isis.

No food and drink are allowed to be consumed inside the exhibition. If you need to bring specific food or medicine due to a pre-existing medical condition then please supply the relevant supporting medical evidence. 

At Immerse LDN at Excel Waterfront, guests can visit the Waterfront Restaurant for a pre-show snack or post-show refreshment. Please check the website for opening hours: https://www.waterfrontkitchenldn.co.uk

There are limited vegan and gluten-free catering options within the main Excel boulevard and at the Waterfront Restaurant but not within the exhibition itself. Restaurants in the main boulevard aren’t always open. Please check the Excel website for more information: https://www.Excel.london/visitor/food-drink and plan ahead. 

Please note that food and drink cannot be consumed within the exhibition itself.

There are a selection of retail units in Excel London providing a diverse range of food and drinks. If you bring a reusable cup to the venue, you can enjoy discounts on some hot drinks at select retail outlets. There are free water refill points on the Boulevard close to the entrance to the venue. For more information please visit: Excel.london/visitor/food-drink  

Please note that food and drink cannot be consumed within the exhibition itself.

No bags larger than A4 are allowed within the exhibition. Backpacks and large bags will not be allowed inside the exhibition. We have a high number of chargeable lockers for you to store your bags and coats when you visit. You can reserve and pay for your locker via your phone by scanning the QR code as you enter the hall. Our onsite team will be happy to guide you should you require any assistance. The dimensions of the lockers available are: 40cm high x 40cm wide x 40cm deep (approx). Sizing is for two normal-sized rucksacks. You may have up to 2 lockers per visit. Lockers are charged at £3 each.

The main venue cloakroom may also be available, subject to opening times.

There is a locker system (for a fee) for customers to leave bags or personal items should they wish to. Backpacks and bags larger than A4 in size will not be allowed inside the exhibition.

If using the terminal, please remember your PIN Code and Locker Number for when you return to the locker. If using QR code, an email will be sent with instructions on how to get back into your locker.

Sizing is for two normal sized rucksacks. You may have up to 2 lockers per visit.

No food or beverages are to be consumed inside the exhibition. You will be asked to dispose of any open foods/beverages before entering the exhibition.  

Exceptions on medical grounds can be made but water must be in a lidded/sealed bottle. Please make the staff aware upon arrival.

The weather will not impact the exhibition as it is indoors.

We always aim to limit and reduce queuing outside the entrance. In the event of inclement weather, our team will work to ensure any queuing outside is minimised as much as possible.

Weapons, bladed/sharp articles, ammunition, explosives, horns, whistles, drums, fireworks, flags, flagpoles, inflatables, wet umbrellas, glass bottles, flammable liquids in any container, laser pens, professional camera equipment, confetti, glitter bombs, paint, paint powder, glue, balloons, wheeled footwear, helmets, full face masks, card readers or any other item which in our reasonable opinion, may cause danger or disruption to any Event or to other visitors (regardless of whether or not such item is illegal or is carried for specific purposes); ceremonial bladed articles, where certain conditions for entry are not met.

Food and beverages, flash photography, prams and buggies, alcohol, smoking, vaping, umbrellas and anything which may disturb the other patrons.

Excel have worked with Changing Places to create an accessible changing facility at the east of the venue on level 1 (the nearest station is Prince Regent DLR).

The room is 12 sqm and has a RADAR key operated lock.