In celebration of its bicentenary, University College London will bring its historic Wilkins Building and newly renovated Quad to life with a large-scale sound and light show titled UCL Illuminated. The event is scheduled for three nights, 11, 12 and 13 February 2026, and marks a unique fusion of architecture, history and modern AV storytelling.
As dusk falls, the 12-minute immersive production will transform the neoclassical façade of the Wilkins Building into a dynamic canvas, projecting animations, historical sequences, narration, music and light to chart UCL’s journey from its founding in 1826 to the present day. Visitors will be taken on a journey through two centuries of academic and research milestones, cultural impact, and innovation, all brought to life through audiovisual storytelling.
But UCL Illuminated doesn’t stop at the exterior visual show. Following the projection display, attendees are invited inside the newly refurbished Quad and Wilkins Building to explore Two Centuries Here exhibition, a retrospective exhibition featuring photography, artefacts, archival records and interactive installations that trace UCL’s social, academic and cultural legacy.
Complementing the live spectacle, UCL will also unveil The UCL Eye, a high-resolution micro-LED screen installation driven by generative-AI visuals, designed to reflect ongoing research and the global community that defines UCL today.
Tickets are now on sale, priced at £5, with free entry for under-16s accompanied by adults, and entries are open to students, alumni and the general public alike. Organisers have also introduced accessible showings including a relaxed performance with BSL interpretation and captioning.
With this immersive projection event, UCL not only celebrates a historic milestone but also demonstrates how modern audio-visual integration can transform heritage architecture into living storytelling platforms, a useful reference point for AV professionals, integrators and event planners worldwide.
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