The 40-minute experience transforms the 5,000-square-foot space into a free-standing environment, where producers work with astrophysicists to create interactive scenes using observational data from the James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes (courtesy Fever).

A Smithsonian-backed space experience lands on the Florida Mall

Orlando’s ties to the nation’s space program helped land one of the Smithsonian Institution’s new immersive experiences on the Florida Mall, where visitors will soon be able to walk through galaxies and exploding stars using virtual reality technology built from real telescope data.

Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience, a permanent exhibit, opens June 25 in the Fever space on The Florida Mall, transforming the 5,000-square-foot space into a free-wheeling journey through the universe. Wearing virtual reality headsets, guests will spend approximately 40 minutes exploring celestial phenomena recreated from observations collected by the world’s most powerful telescopes.

“It’s basically a documentary, a space documentary where you can walk around inside and touch things,” said Elliot Misroch, producer and director of Fever’s New Ventures team, which helped oversee the project. Based in New York City, Fever is a technology-based entertainment platform and creator of original content, partnering with major companies to create immersive experiences such as the popular Candlelight Concert Series.

The 40-minute experience transforms the 5,000-square-foot space into a free-standing environment, where producers work with astrophysicists to create interactive scenes using observational data from the James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes (courtesy Fever).

The attraction was created through a partnership between Fever, the Smithsonian Institution and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, which worked with the production team for two years.

Orlando was chosen as one of the Experience’s early launch markets because of the region’s long association with space exploration.

“Orlando is a space mecca,” Mizroch told GrowthSpotter, citing the area’s proximity to the Kennedy Space Center and public interest surrounding NASA’s Artemis program.

The local opening follows the attraction’s debut in Washington, DC, and precedes a wider rollout to cities around the world. Fever already operated a location in a Florida mall, allowing the company to bring new content to Orlando without expanding its footprint here.

Misroch said the production team collaborated directly with astrophysicists to create scenes based on data from the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories. During the experience, visitors are guided by a narrator through interactive encounters that explore the life cycle of stars, the structure of galaxies, and the nature of black holes.

Developed over two years through a partnership between Fever and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the exhibit allows guests to navigate simulations of celestial phenomena like supernovae and black holes, translating abstract science data into a format accessible to ages 10 and up (courtesy Fever).
Developed over two years through a partnership between Fever and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the exhibit allows guests to navigate simulations of celestial phenomena like supernovae and black holes, translating abstract science data into a format accessible to ages 10 and up (courtesy Fever).

According to Mizrock, about 50 people contributed to the project, which is based on a Smithsonian request looking for new ways to engage audiences with science and education.

This collaboration marks a departure from the many immersive experiences Misroch has previously worked on. His past projects have used digital scanning technology to recreate places like Machu Picchu, Petra and ancient Egyptian tombs. Starstruck required the team to create environments based on astronomical observations rather than physical locations.

“We were depicting the universe, but it wasn’t a place we could go to see,” he said.

While the experience is rooted in scientific research, Misroch said, “You don’t really need any prior space experience. Anyone who’s ever been interested in what’s above us will enjoy it.”

That experience resonated with some leading experts in the scientific community. Misroch remembers being moved by astrophysicist Dr. Laura Brennan, one of the world’s leading black hole researchers, when she saw the finished project for the first time. According to Mizroch, Brennan said, “This experience has led to the complex streams of data scientists have spent studying for the public to finally see, understand and share.”

For researchers used to working with abstract numbers and observations, the ability to walk through those findings and make them accessible to a wider audience is deeply meaningful.

Tickets for the Smithsonian Starstruck are on sale now, priced at $29.00 for adults over 18 and $24 for children and seniors. The experience opens June 25 at the Florida Mall and is recommended for ages 10 and up.

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