Bringing the wonders and complexities of space right down to planet Earth, a unique solar system sculpture trail beamed into Northern Ireland this April.

Our Place in Space will begin in Derry-Londonderry © Tourism Ireland

Our Place in Space is an astonishing journey through the solar system, recreated as a 10km sculpture trail exploring what it means to live life on Earth.

The installation was created by a team led by acclaimed artist and children’s author Oliver Jeffers, who grew up in Belfast but is now based in New York. The sculpture trail features various four-meter-high sculptures, including scale models of the sun and each of the planets in our solar system.

Both an attraction and an immersive learning experience, it can be explored in person and from anywhere in the world via an interactive augmented-reality (AR) app. It will be accompanied by a far-reaching programme of learning activities and special live and virtual events.

The sculpture trail moves to North Down Coastal Path in September © Tourism Ireland

Our Place in Space made its first appearance at Bay Road Park on the shores of the River Foyle in Derry-Londonderry, appropriately launching on Earth Day on Friday 22 April.

The sculpture trail stays in Derry-Londonderry until 22 May, then moves to Divis and Black Mountain on the outskirts of Belfast, from 11 June until 10 July. It heads to Cambridge in England at the end of July and into August, then returns to Northern Ireland’s Ulster Transport Museum and North Down Coastal Path in County Down from 17 September to 16 October.

Oliver Jeffers (left) worked with astrophysicist Professor Stephen Smartt (right) on the project © Tourism Ireland

The purpose of the Our Place in Space project is to invite exploration of what it means to live on Earth in 2022 and considers how humans might better share and protect our planet in future.

Oliver Jeffers said: “For centuries, we’ve defined ourselves by who we are and who we’re not. Which side we choose, on what ground we stand, who and what we fight for. A human story, that lives merely in human minds. But with distance comes perspective – and what happens to our perspective on everything when we look back at Earth from space?

“Our Place in Space is a playful experiment that asks: What is the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’? Which side are we on, and if we look back at ourselves from vastness of outer space – alone on our tiny planet, the only one that can harbour life – should there be any ‘sides’ at all?”

Oliver Jeffers worked with a team that included the Nerve Centre, a leading creative media arts centre based in Derry-Londonderry, as well as award-winning composer, producer and sound artist Die Hexen, leading astrophysicist Professor Stephen Smartt of Queen’s University Belfast and many others to develop the concept.

The sculpture trail is one of 10 major creative projects commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022.

Our Place in Space can be explored as an interactive augmented-reality app © Tourism Ireland

The Our Place in Space app is available on Apple and Android devices and will allow users to take a walk through the solar system, experience the planets in augmented reality and consider 10,000 years of human history on Earth.

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, said: “This fascinating project will encourage people to think about life on earth, the solar system and how we look after our planet. For visitors to Northern Ireland and Cambridge in England this is an intriguing attraction to add to your itinerary in 2022.”

If you would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of Northern Ireland, please do contact our friendly team today, or why not visit Cambridge on our Time Travellers tour in partnership with England Originals.