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Luke Jerram's Helios at Osterley Park and House
Visit Osterley Park in West London from 11 to 14 July 2025 to see renowned artist Luke Jerram’s brand-new 7-metre diameter sculpture, Helios. This unique and immersive experience invites you to explore the sun's hidden beauty and power up close for free.
Please note, Helios is a free event and everyone is welcome. Normal admission to the house and garden still applies, free for National Trust members.
What is Helios?
Helios returns 11-14 July 2025, 10am to 9pm.
Please note, Helios will need to close in high winds. Check the emergency note on the website or before travelling.
This summer, Londoners will have the unique opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring Helios at Osterley Park and House for free.
Helios is the latest, giant artwork from Luke Jerram. Named after the sun god in ancient Greek mythology, Helios succeeds Luke's previous large scale installations, Museum of the Moon and Gaia. This seven-metre spherical sculpture of the sun combines light, solar imagery and sounds recorded by NASA to bring the sun's intricate details to a new light.
This year, Helios is embarking on a tour of National Trust properties and other locations. It will be on display at Osterley Park 11-14 July.
The 7-metre artwork will be displayed outside in the stunning 18th-century portico of the neo-classical mansion transformed by Robert Adam in the late eighteenth century.
Helios will be accessible from the free-to-enter parkland, meaning everyone will have a chance to view the sun up close. Displaying Helios outside brings art and nature together in the outdoors.
Luke Jerram's innovative installation is lit from within and has a detailed surface made up from solar imagery. One centimetre of this impressive sculpture represents 2,000km of the sun's surface. Together with the soundscape created from NASA recordings, this immersive experience allows you to explore the intricacies, power and scale of the sun's surface in a way you never have before.
Helios has been co-commissioned by National Trust, Cork Midsummer Festival, Liverpool Cathedral, Old Royal Naval College and University College London.
We all know that it is very dangerous to look directly at the sun, as it can damage our eyesight. Helios provides a safe opportunity for the public to get up close to, and inspect, its extraordinarily detailed surface including sunspots, spicules and filaments.
A quote by Luke Jerram Artist of Helios
How to see Helios
Helios will be on site at Osterley Park 11-14 July 2025, 10am to 9pm.
Helios will be displayed in the the grand portico of the neo-classical mansion and will be visible from the East Front of the house at Osterley Park. Visitors will be able to pass directly underneath Helios as they cross the portico and gaze up at the sun from below. Bean bags will be available for those who want to stay a while and take in the sights and sounds of Helios.
Bring a picnic and make a day of it. Or why not use your creative skills to record your visit with a drawing, painting or some colouring in? There’s plenty of space to set up an easel or settle down with a sketchpad.
This is a free event and booking is not required. Visitors can access Helios from the free-to-enter park at Osterley.
There will also be late night openings of the garden at Osterley on 11 & 12 July. Last entry at 7pm, closes 8pm. Access to the parkland and Helios is free. Normal admission to the house and garden applies (National Trust members enter for free).
Event details here: Luke Jerram's Helios at Osterley Park | National Trust
Please note: In the event of high wind speeds or bad weather, Helios will need to close. Please check the website before travelling.