Earlier this month, the museum held a special event to celebrate the Grand Opening of Extinction: The End of the World? giving guests a first look at the temporary exhibition. Guest of Honour Sir David Attenborough and Environmental Secretary Owen Paterson were invited to unveil the newest attraction in style. Entertainment specialist White Light provided the lighting design, equipment and personnel to make the night a success. Using bold colours and patterns, White Light set a stunning backdrop for the event. Guests were treated to a glowing Dippy the Dinosaur and an exclusive look at the information, artefacts, and interactive games presented in Extinction.
The team from White Light, led by Richard Stirzaker, had less than an hour to set up lighting for the Grand Opening. "With events like this, we often have little time in the space, so we have to make it count. Flexibility is key." says Stirzaker.
Stirzaker and his team used fixtures from the GDS Liteware range for the event, allowing them to create colourful and dramatic looks with ease and flexibility. The wireless LED fixtures included the Liteware 4-Way Satellite, Liteware UL, and the Lightware HO, all battery powered and controlled through Wireless DMX. A key feature of the design, the Extinction title displayed above the center hall and on the museum exterior, was created by White Light specifically for the event. The custom gobo design is based on the event invitation sent to guests by the museum. Stirzaker was pleased with the outcome saying, "With the title design, we were able to tie the whole experience together and create a unique look for the event. Guests immediately recognized the look and feel from the original invitation."
This event continues a long history of partnership between White Light and the Natural History Museum, part of the Unique Venues of London. White Light recently supplied lighting for the opening event of the museum's new Treasures Gallery, as well as for private events held at the NHM. "Our goal is always to deliver a flawless event that looks great." Stirzaker explains, "We love coming back to work at the Natural History Museum time and time again."
Extinction: Not the End of the World? is open now at the Natural History Museum in London and will run through September of this year. More information about the temporary exhibition can be found at http://www.nhm.ac.uk.
(Jim Evans)
