Boris Johnson was among the VIP guests at the launch of Jurassic World: The Experience in Battersea — even getting up close and personal with a pile of dinosaur poo.
The former Prime Minister attended the immersive event with his wife, Carrie, and their children — marking their first public outing as a family of six after welcoming their fourth child, Poppy Eliza Josephine, on May 21.
The couple’s first two children, Wilfred and Romy, were born while they were living in Downing Street during the Covid pandemic, while their son Frank was born in July 2023, their first child after Boris left office.
Announcing Poppy’s birth on social media, Mrs Johnson declared they were “totally smitten” with their new arrival.
Held at the brand-new NEON venue beside Battersea Power Station, the event brought the blockbuster franchise roaring to life across two floors. Visitors explored lifelike dinosaur habitats, including a genetics lab and baby dinosaur enclosures, all created with cutting-edge animatronics and sound effects designed to transport guests straight to Isla Nublar.
Among the celebrity guests was Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson, who attended with her fiancé Ryan Libbey and their son Leo. The family was fresh from supporting Louise’s brother, Sam Thompson, who on Friday delivered the Soccer Aid match ball having raised over £1.5 million as part of a Unicef charity challenge.
Other well-known faces included presenter Fearne Cotton, Strictly Come Dancing’s Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev, and Gladiators stars Matt Morsia ‘Legend’ and Karenjeet Kaur Bains ‘Athena’.
The exhibition is the first to be staged at NEON’s new events space, purpose-built for immersive large-scale productions. Guests can walk beneath a towering 30-foot Brachiosaurus, come face-to-face with raptors, and dig for fossils in a hands-on excavation zone — all surrounded by cinematic lighting and soundscapes.
Fans of the franchise can also encounter some of the series’ most beloved creatures, including Velociraptor Blue and Bumpy, the baby Ankylosaurus. Parents may want to make a swift exit, however, when the adventure ends at the gift shop.
Jurassic World: The Experience is open until September 1. It coincides with the release of Jurassic World: Rebirth — the seventh film in the franchise — starring Scarlett Johansson and Wicked’s Jonathan Bailey. The film hits UK cinemas on July 5.
Tickets are available via Fever, with timed entry slots and family bundles on offer.
