We were at Blackpool Winter Gardens for a dance competition and had a few hours to spare. We decided to have a look around and stumbled upon this gem of an attraction in the same building!
Illuminasia is a journey through different worlds of light. It has a wow factor for kids and adults alike and is definitely worth a visit.
You walk through the exhibits, much to the kids delight. You are able to be part of a terracotta army and gaze at a Chinese temple. At one point you feel as though you have been shrunk down to walk through a giant and magical garden, at another you can stand inside the mouth of a shark.
There are challenges and different things to look out for as you go round and a little prize at the end if you complete the challenge.
The place is spread over two floors and split into sections that you walk through. Amongst others we saw Terracotta Warriors, Mysteries of China, Land of the giants, The Deep and World of Wonders. Each exhibit is amazing in its own way and everytime we walked out of one room we were pleasantly surprised by the next!
At the end of our journey we came out into a big display of the wonders of the world, where we were surrounded by many famous landmarks including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Statue of Liberty, Sphinx, Great Wall of China, Easter Island, Tower Bridge, and of course, the Blackpool Tower!
In this room there was a stage and my daughter was chosen to go up on stage and push the big button at the end of a countdown to switch on the lights. She loved this!
This is not an attraction I had heard of before we visited but it is one that I would highly recommend! It takes about an hour but you could spend longer if you move slower round the exhibits or stop in the cafe. It is very pushchair and wheelchair friendly, with wide paths and lifts to avoid the stairs. You can also leave your pushchair and let little ones walk.
Taking a child with an ASD to Illuminasia?
The rooms are dark with the exhibits lit up.
It is a fairly quiet attraction and rarely crowded due to its size.
It is a great sensory experience.
You are free to wander round at your own pace.
A carer gets in free but needs carer’s I.D.
Illuminasia is at: Olympia Exhibition Hall, Winter Gardens Blackpool, Church Street and their website is: http://www.illuminasia.co.uk
For any questions you can phone on 01253 629801 or email info@illuminasia.co.uk.
There is no need to book tickets in advance but you can book tickets through their website. Prices are £8.95 for Children and Seniors and £12.95 for adults. Groups of 4 or more are discounted.
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