All the way from Peru, the world’s favourite bear is now welcoming everyone to his very own party on London’s Southbank with a full immersion into The Paddington Bear Experience.
The newly opened Paddington Bear Experience is a magical, immersive step into the world of the much-loved character, for all generations. With an incredible set and cast, the experience gives guests the opportunity to visit the Browns at their Windsor Gardens home, and to take a detour to the Peruvian jungle to help collect oranges for their new friend’s Marmalade Day Festival. An exciting, multi-sensory attraction for kids (and grown-ups), this is what to expect when you visit.
What is The Paddington Bear Experience?
The world’s most famous bear has found a new home in London. The Paddington Bear Experience arrived at Southbank’s County Hall last month and promises visitors a joyous glimpse into the world of Paddington Bear, complete with marmalade sandwiches (of course).
(c) Alex Brenner
Spread across 26,000 square feet, this large-scale interactive and multi-sensory experience is packed with games and activities for kids of all ages. Like stepping into a movie set, you’ll find yourself in the iconic locations from classic children’s tales, including the Brown’s home in Windsor Garden’s and the shop belonging to Paddington’s old friend Mr Gruber. You’ll meet and greet familiar characters from the books along the way too.
(c) Alex Brenner
The adventure starts as soon as you arrive at Paddington Station, where the cheerful Station Master will greet you. Hop aboard a life-sized train carriage to take a tour of the sights and sounds of London, before reaching the Brown family’s residence: No. 32 Windsor Gardens. Now it’s time to explore their home. Wander through the life-sized set to discover various rooms, all packed with fun games to play and puzzles to solve. And it’s all the real deal – when the creative team embarked on this project, they visited the set of the third Paddington Bear movie (Paddington in Peru) and were given lots of props and furniture to use to add authenticity; fans of the films can expect to spot lots of familiar items dotted around such as toys, ornaments, books and bikes.
But don’t think you are there simply for a snoop around the Brown abode. Oh no, there is work to be done. Paddingon has invited everyone to the most incredible party Windsor Gardens has ever seen – and has asked you to help them get ready for it. With a touch of magic, you’ll be whisked away to the mystical jungles of Peru to help collect the special oranges he needs for his all important marmalade.
Once your mission is complete, it’s time to head back to Windsor Gardens to finish by celebrating at the Marmalade Day Festival (with Paddington himself making a special appearance, of course). Little ones will love dancing to the lively calypso tunes and playing funfair games – and it goes without saying that you will get to try the iconic marmalade sandwiches, too!
Who is it for?
This experience incorporates ground-breaking design, live performance, and video to engage audiences of all ages. While children aged four to 10 are probably going to get more out of their trip than teenagers, anyone who has read the Paddington books or watched the films will enjoy seeing the story come to life before their eyes. In each room you’ll find puzzles, tasks and games to complete, and guides on hand to give instructions and make sure it’s oh-so-much fun for kids.
The Highlights
What makes Paddington so special is his sweet, loveable character – along with the hilarious adventures (and mishaps!) that he gets up to, all with the very best of intentions. So as well as the amazing sets and super special effects that whisk you off to the Peruvian jungle, it’s the narrative that runs throughout this charming experience that makes it so memorable.
The story and script of the experience were written by the talented Katie Lyons (the woman behind Peaky Blinders) who has brought together a marvellous team of actors, costume designers and creatives to transform the space into what really does feel like Paddington’s world. You’re not there just to look around, you’re part of the action.
Need to know
When you book you’ll be given a time slot – and it’s really important to arrive in good time. With groups of 30 starting the experience every seven and a half minutes, there is a very strict schedule (if you arrive late you may not be allowed entry). You’ll be guided around by a cast of over 50 actors in all manner of roles, each of whom plays their part in making the day feel very real, and very magical. The whole experience lasts approximately 70 minutes, but guests are welcome to stay to enjoy the Marmalade Day celebrations, games, and treats in Windsor Gardens at the end for up to an hour. Towards the end of the experience there’s a café where you can purchase Paddington Bear-inspired cakes, pastries, hot and cold drinks and of course, the famous marmalade sandwich.
Babes in arms are welcome, but buggies are not permitted; there’s a buggy park on-site where you can leave them safely. Likewise, all children will require a ticket but under-twos go free. No bags are allowed inside but there is a cloakroom. While photography and filming is not allowed throughout the entirety of the experience, you can take your own pictures once you reach the end at Windsor Gardens and there is also an opportunity to have photos with Paddington himself. When you head to Mr Gruber’s Shop on your way out, make sure to pick up some exclusive Paddington Bear merchandise as a little memento of your day. There is everything from stationery and books to cuddly toys and games.
Last year marked 65 years since author Michael Bond introduced the world to the adorable bear from Peru, when he published his first book, A Bear Called Paddington. After that, Bond’s following stories chronicled his adventures – and have clearly been a hit with generation after generation, with more than thirty-five million copies sold worldwide, plus numerous TV shows and films. In 2014, a live-action feature film called Paddington was released, which was followed by a sequel, Paddington 2 in 2017, with the third film due out this November.
Where is it?
Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7PB. The nearest train stations are Waterloo Station and Charing Cross Station. The nearest Tube Stations are Waterloo (Jubilee, Waterloo & City, Northern, Bakerloo) and Westminster (Circle & District, Jubilee).
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