A new immersive experience will blur the lines between real and imagined worlds.
Presented by mixed reality entertainment company Enku, The Unreal Garden is an augmented reality art installation that layers a fantastical 3D realm over our own. Starting June 15, visitors to the installation space in Denver Pavilions will be invited to travel through oceanic realms and embark on intergalactic adventures, uncovering (and influencing) a story as they interact with holographic creatures and flora.
Visitors will put on Microsoft HoloLens 2, an AR headset that allows you to see both our world and the augmented world at the same time, allowing them to wander freely through the exhibition space with their group.
"The Unreal Garden is like stepping into a future world that combines the benefits of technology and the connection of shared human interaction in one experience," Ray Kallmeyer, Enklu CEO and The Unreal Garden's creator and director, said in a release. "Think of it like a silent disco of holograms; without an AR headset, smartphone or tablet, all you'll see is an empty space. Place yourself inside The Unreal Garden, however, and a new world will spring to life."
Enku is also the group behind VERSE - Art of the Future, an NFT art gallery that opened in Denver in April. The group has collaborated with groups like Meow Wolf and Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in the past.
"The Unreal Garden is the immersive video game to VERSE's futuristic art gallery," says Kallmeyer. "It's great for date nights and groups of friends, as well as families. Children who often get bored with typical museums see it as an interactive adventure game, and adults, who can be overwhelmed by arcades, see it as a more engaging gallery experience."
The Unreal Garden originally opened as a pop-up exhibit in San Francisco. It's now one of a growing number of traveling immersive experiences popping up in Denver this year, including The Art of Banksy, Immersive Van Gogh and The FRIENDS Experience, all of which are produced by Enku's partners NonPlusUltra and FeverUp.
The Unreal Garden runs in Denver Pavilions on the 16th St. Mall from June 15-August 31. Tickets are $29.99 for adults and $13.99 for children 5-13, and can be purchased online.
