Gaia Daytime Viewing

Throughout the exhibition there is no charge for daytime entry to the Cathedral, although a suggested donation of £5 per person is encouraged which will go towards the cost of hosting the event and the upkeep of Blackburn Cathedral, helping us stage more events like this and keeping our doors open for all.

Gaia will be available to view whenever the Cathedral is open and all are warmly invited to visit.

Visitor restrictions may apply on certain days and guests are advised that their visit may coincide with other activities taking place.

Before visiting we strongly recommend checking the Gaia daily schedule.

Due to large numbers of visitors, if you plan to bring a group of 10+ people to view Gaia, please contact us to ensure that we have the capacity to facilitate your visit.

About Gaia

Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, Gaia features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface*. The artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet on this scale, floating in three-dimensions.

The installation creates a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork is 1.8 million times smaller than the real Earth with each centimetre of the internally lit sculpture describing 18km of the Earth’s surface. By standing 211m away from the artwork, the public will be able to see the Earth as it appears from the moon.

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture.

In Greek Mythology Gaia is the personification of the Earth.

Gaia has been created in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council, Bluedot and the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres.

* The imagery for the artwork has been compiled from Visible Earth series, NASA.

Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in the UK but working internationally since 1997, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. Jerram has a set of different narratives that make up his practice which are developing in parallel with one another. He is known worldwide for his large scale public artworks.