Travel beyond Earth and experience the universe alongside the most powerful observatories ever built by humankind, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, as they reveal the birth of stars, lava-covered exoplanets, and the edge of a black hole through striking, immersive visuals grounded in science.
Designed for curious minds, space enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a unique experience in Bordeaux, *The Mysteries of the Cosmos* offers a powerful new way to connect with the incredible scale, mystery, and beauty of our universe. The experience was also recently selected for competition at Venice Immersive, part of the 2026 Venice International Film Festival.
5 November 2026 13:00 + more dates
Musée Mer Marine
What can you expect at *Les Mystères du cosmos*?
"The Mysteries of the Cosmos" combines rigorous science, powerful storytelling, and cutting-edge immersive technology, transforming the mysteries of deep space into an experience to see, hear, and live. Drawing on astronomical data and visuals, "The Mysteries of the Cosmos" reinterprets iconic 2D space images—including the famous Pillars of Creation—as fully immersive 3D worlds. Visitors don’t just observe the cosmos—they step inside it.
Here’s a glimpse of what awaits you:
- Begin your cosmic journey: meet your guide, Astro, at the summit of Mount Hopkins in Arizona, home to the Whipple Observatory operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. From there, your journey takes a celestial turn, aboard the most powerful telescopes ever built, heading toward the far reaches of the galaxy.
- Immerse yourself in the Sun: a quick detour to the Sun lets you observe solar flares 30 times larger than Earth and hear their vibrations. Feel the energy that powers all life on our planet, captured directly by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe—the spacecraft that made the closest flyby of our star ever recorded—and which is still operational today.
- Explore Janssen, the diamond planet: set foot on an extraterrestrial landscape covered in molten lava. Watch volcanoes erupt in the distance and fissures run through the ground, revealing vast, sparkling diamond structures. Discover why Earth possesses the precise conditions necessary for life—a rare position known as the Goldilocks Zone.
- Witness the death of Betelgeuse: witness the red supergiant Betelgeuse explode into a spectacular supernova, its final breath recycling stellar matter into the building blocks of future stars, planets, and perhaps future life.
Facing black holes: stand on the edge of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way, and witness a star falling into its grasp, sending a jet of debris scattering across the galaxy.
📍Musée Mer Marine, 89 Rue des Étrangers, 33300 Bordeaux
Smithsonian Les Mystères du Cosmos: An Immersive Experience
5 November 2026 13:00 + more dates
Musée Mer Marine
