Stay up late with Helios. The Painted Hall is open every Thursday evening for a glowing night-time experience.

About Helios

Named after the ancient Greek and Roman sun god, symbolic of time and life, Helios honours the Sun’s profound impact on human history and culture. Every centimetre of the seven metre internally lit artwork represents 2000km of the Sun’s fiery expanse. This is a rare opportunity to closely examine the star’s extraordinary surface in astonishing detail.

At a scale of 1:200 million, every centimetre of the seven metre internally lit masterpiece represents 2000km of the Sun’s fiery expanse. Visitors will be captivated by the intricate beauty of sunspots, spicules, and filaments, including the solar activity that produced the UK’s mesmerising Northern Lights in May 2024. The imagery for the artwork has been compiled using photographs of the Sun provided by Astrophotographer Dr Stuart Green (taken between May 2018 to June 2024) and NASA observations of the Sun, with guidance from solar scientist, Professor Lucie Green of University College London (UCL).

The installation is a fusion of solar imagery, sunlight and a specially created surround sound composition by acclaimed artists Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson. Together, the soundscape and sculpture take audiences on a sensory journey, igniting curiosity and awe about both the closest star to Earth.

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