TO BE
New attraction based on Shakespeare to open in the UK with AI technology taking you back in time
Find out what it's like to visit Stratford-Upon-Avon, the UK market town synonymous with the bard
FANS of the UK's most famous bard have reason to be excited in 2025, with a brand-new Shakespeare attraction to open in London.
While Stratford-upon-Avon is the home to some of the playwright's most well-known sites, Shoreditch is about to get its very own Museum of Shakespeare.
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Located in Hackney in east London, The Stage is a mixed-use development space in the city that's home to the remains of the Curtain Playhouse.
The Curtain Playhouse first opened its doors in 1577 and claimed to be the birthplace of modern theatre.
Audiences flocked to the theatre to watch William Shakespeare’s acting troupe, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, who used the theatre as their base from 1597-1599.
Plays like Romeo and Juliet and Henry V even debuted at the London theatre.
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Despite its gripping history, the Curtain Playhouse was lost to time until archaeologists from MOLA found part of the theatre's wall during an exploratory excavation.
Work has been undertaken since 2016 to expose the surviving remains of the former theatre, with the Museum of Shakespeare set to open later this year.
A description on its website reads, "A new visitor experience built on the site of The Curtain Playhouse will transport guests back to the 16th Century".
The new visitor experience will be located three metres underground, with guests able to walk over glass viewing platforms at the height of the original stage.
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Visitors will also be able to gaze at the medieval remains too.
It's also slated to feature immersive and interactive features like retellings of a day in the life of William Shakespeare.
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AI technology will also bring the sights, sounds and smells of 16th century London to life.
The same technology will also give visitors the chance to meet people who inspired some of Shakespeare's most well-known plays and characters.
The new permanent visitor experience is being opened in London thanks to a four-way project between Bompas & Parr, Cain International, Museum of London Archaeology and Historic England.
It is not yet known when the museum will open and how much it will cost to enter.
When it does open, it will be a five-minute walk from London Liverpool Street Station in the heart of Shoreditch.
Sunand Prasad, principal at Perkins&;Will, speaks of the project’s significance: "The Stage project is a great example of the intelligent evolution of an urban quarter to create accessible, permeable, and attractive space for people’s use and enjoyment.
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"Built layers from several centuries, now repurposed, have been woven together with substantial new flexible mixed-use space gathered around a public plaza, to create the largest public space ever in Shoreditch.
"The discovered remains of the 16th-century Curtain Playhouse bring a magical extra dimension to the making of this new place for the busy neighbourhood."
Elsewhere in London, a neighbourhood is getting a huge £10billion renovation.
The huge redevelopment includes a large kids' playground and climbing attraction, as well as gardens, restaurants, and 'cultural venues'.
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What's it like to visit Stratford-upon-Avon?
TRAVEL reporter Hope Brother explains what it's like to visit the West Midlands market town with ties to the playwright.
As both a Brummie and an avid bookworm, I spend a lot of time visiting Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
The picturesque medieval market can get very busy in the height of the summer, but there are still plenty of rainy day activities to keep day-trippers both amused and dry.
Located in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s Birthplace tells the story of the English playwright's childhood.
Nearby, there's also Shakespeare's New Place, reopening later this year; it's where the famous writer lived until he died in the late 16th century.
Fans of the British playwright can even see Shakespeare's grave inside Holy Trinity Church.
A visit to Stratford-upon-Avon isn't complete without taking in a show at the Royal Shakespeare Company where celebrities like David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston and Patrick Stewart have all performed.
If you really want to splash the cash, dine in the rooftop restaurant beforehand for sweeping countryside views on a clear day.
Stay at The Arden Hotel; if you're taking in a late show at the theatre, it's a short stumble from the Dirty Duck, where actors often head for a drink.
The UK's busiest train station is also undergoing a multi-billion development.
And here's the first look at the London skyscraper set to be one of the tallest in Europe.
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