The Exchange’s historic Banking Hall looks to be the stunning setting for Luke Jerram’s one-of-a-kind ‘Helios’ sculpture—which will make its debut in Birmingham next year. The 1:200 million scale of our closest star is your chance to stare directly at the Sun and inspect its every detail.
The old municipal bank in Centenary Square will contain the golden glow of this breathtaking, illuminated installation from Saturday, March 21, 2026 (to coincide with the Spring Equinox) up until Sunday, November 1, 2026. ‘Helios’ will then move long-term to the Edgbaston campus, where it will continue to be free and accessible for all.
What is Helios?
Measuring five metres in diameter, the internationally-acclaimed touring artwork, ‘Helios’ features high-resolution NASA imagery that reveals the astonishing details of the solar surface—including sunspots, spicules and filaments. It also features the solar flares that caused the Northern lights to be visible from the UK back in 2024.
The artwork features 72dpi detailed imagery (compiled using approximately 400,000 photographs) with each centimetre of the spherical sculpture representing 2000km of the Sun’s surface. A surround sound composition, utilising NASA recordings of the sun, accompanies the piece.
To complement the sculpture, a wrap-around exhibition will showcase cutting-edge research from University of Birmingham academics, exploring the science behind our body clocks, how we harness the Sun for solar energy, how the region is adapting to a changing climate, how researchers model the risks of space weather, and more.
Luke Jerram’s previous installations, known for combining artistic creativity with scientific insight, have asked audiences to think more deeply about Earth, the Moon and Mars. ‘Helios’ asks us to consider not only the depths of space, but how we may better care for our planet.
To learn more about ‘Helios’ at The Exchange in Birmingham, head here.