- Play Hard
- 3rd Oct 2025
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GAIA has arrived at Hexham Abbey – here’s why it’s worth the visit
When Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon lit up Hexham Abbey in 2023, people travelled from far and wide to see it.
Now, the artist returns with GAIA — a giant, glowing Earth suspended in the heart of the Abbey — and this time, it’s even more immersive.
How to see GAIA
Dates: 3 October – 16 November 2025
Ticket price: £4 for adults, £1 for children
Opening times: As per Abbey visiting hours (Monday – Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm and Sunday 11.00am – 5.00pm)
Accessibility: The Abbey is mostly accessible; only the crypt has steep steps.
To enjoy GAIA, just book in advance via the Abbey’s website. Some events require separate tickets.
What is GAIA (and why it makes your jaw drop)
GAIA is Jerram’s expansive Earth sculpture, built from finely detailed NASA imagery and measuring six metres in diameter. It rotates slowly, bathed in internal light, and is paired with a specially composed surround-sound score by BAFTA-winning composer Dan Jones, designed to immerse you in sound, emotion and reflection.
It’s more than just art. it’s a chance to simulate the ‘Overview Effect’, the shift in consciousness astronauts speak of when they see Earth from space: beauty, fragility, connection.
Why Hexham Abbey is the perfect home for GAIA
Hexham Abbey is over 1,350 years old, with roots back to AD 674. Its architecture, crypt, stained-glass windows and historical gravitas give a powerful contrast to the contemporary, cosmic installation, with the meeting of Earth and Earth’s history.
Having already hosted Moon, the Abbey is becoming an unexpected destination for art and heritage experiences, and they have some fantastic immersive experiences planned…
Events under the planet: highlights to add to your visit
We’ve scoured the events programme and here are some of the standouts that we don’t want to miss…
Yoga beneath Gaia – every Monday evening at 6pm, a gentle, calming session in the sculpture’s presence.
Light in the Night (8th October) – a Taizé & Iona style contemplative worship, prayer and peace, beneath the glowing globe.
Gala Dinner beneath Gaia (10th October) – three courses, speeches, raffle, a guest appearance by polar explorer Conrad Dickinson.
Pink Floyd by Candlelight (11th October) – Dark Side of the Moon tracks performed live in a candlelit, atmospheric setting.
Divinely Aligned with Sarah Fae (14th October) – cosmic storytelling, wine, ambient music, all aligned with GAIA’s energy.
Ceilidh beneath Gaia (17th October) – folk, fun, dance, bring something to share, under the spinning Earth.
Ticklish Gaia & The Falling Sky (18th October) – a talk from Prof. Graham Harvey on Indigenous ecological teachings and relationships to land.
Wonders of Our Universe (21st October) – a journey through cosmos, led by The Average Scientist.
Interstellar Organ Suite (1st November) – Hexham Abbey’s organ unleashes Hans Zimmer’s score under GAIA’s glow.
The Armed Man / In Praise of Earth (14th-15th November) – closing concerts with bespoke programming by Northumbrian Winds.
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