See stunning Luxmuralis light and sound display take over Durham Cathedral

After touring cathedrals across the country, the light and sound installation, which is a ticketed event, is making its North East debut at the historic site, where it can be seen on evenings from October 12-16.

By day, the cathedral will appear as normal but from 6.45pm for the duration of the Luxmuralis run its historic arches will be flooded with light and sound in an immersive experience for visitors.

The projections bring the natural world to life, giving people an opportunity to pause and reflect on their responsibility to protect it.

The viewer is taken from sunrise to sunset, journeying through the beauty of planet earth, witnessing the sun, the oceans and the clouds.

It’s already almost sold out with ticket sales exceeding expectations.

Andrew Usher, Chief Officer: Visitor Experience and Enterprise at Durham Cathedral, said it’s an incredible way to see the cathedral in a new light.

"Installations like this, and Museum of the Moon, which we hosted last year, are another reason for people to visit the cathedral and to see it in a completely different way. It’s a contemplative piece which people can sit and experience.

"We saw snippets as the guys were installing it over the past few days and to see it in full effect is phenomenal.

"Events like art and concerts bring people here, sometimes for the first time, and we hear them say to each other how they’re going to come back in the daytime and see the cathedral, to wander the cloisters, and experience it all."

Michael Everitt, Canon Pastor, said: “Throughout history, Durham Cathedral has hosted things that have enabled people to come and be in this incredible space and experience it in a different way.

"To see the cathedral cleared of pews, opened up with all this light and energy is a real wow moment. It’s an out-of-this world experience, which cathedrals have always been – a heavenly experience.”

Sounds heard throughout the installation are musical pieces composed by David Harper who has used within his works recorded anthropological soundtracks from collections of the Pitt Rivers Museum.

The artwork and visual imagery is created by artist Peter Walker who has interpreted collections from the Natural History Museum Oxford and the William Morris Museum, depicting nature and artistically highlighting the cathedral’s own architectural design features and brings the outside world inside.

Ticket details

You will need to pre-book tickets for Luxmuralis, with adult tickets costing £8 and under 18s tickets costing £5.

Tickets for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility are £5. Carers and under 3s go free.

Entry to the cathedral is by a timed ticket, with a 15 minute entry slot. First entry is at 6.45pm each evening, and last entry is at 9pm.

You can book tickets at durhamcathedral.co.uk

Tickets are currently sold out for the Friday and Saturday night, but some more may become available.