Rochdale exhibit will open a whole new world to visitors

A stunning replica of planet Earth is coming to Rochdale later this year, along with a host of out of this world events and activities. Gaia (pictured) at the Natural History Museum in London

A stunning replica of planet Earth is coming to Rochdale later this year, along with a host of out of this world events and activities.

UK artist Luke Jerram’s internationally renowned ‘Gaia’ installation will see a huge work of art depicting the Earth exhibited at Number One Riverside in the town centre from 20 November until Christmas Eve.

Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, it will provide the opportunity to see the planet on a big scale, floating in three dimensions. The name ‘Gaia’ comes from Greek mythology, meaning the personification of the Earth.

The exhibition is being staged in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council and Your Trust (formerly Link4Life), supported financially by the Garfield Weston Foundation. The team are now planning a series of special events across the borough to accompany Gaia, themed around looking after our environment and its precious resources.

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council said: "This is very exciting, and as we saw with Dippy the dinosaur, Number One Riverside is a great exhibition space.  Gaia is breath-taking, spectacular and quite extraordinary in equal measure. This will be an opportunity to give visitors a new perspective of our place on the planet. We are developing a series of supporting installations, exhibits and events around Gaia. We never usually get to see the earth from this perspective, Gaia will be awe inspiring.”

Ahead of its visit to Rochdale, Gaia will be visiting Hull, the USA, the Netherlands, Norwich, Norway and Canada before reaching the borough just in time for the start of the festive season.

Darren Grice, deputy chief executive of Your Trust, added: “We’re delighted to build on the success of Dippy on Tour, bringing another fantastic creative spectacle to the borough. Just as with Dippy, we hope that seeing the earth as if floating in space, will wow visitors and inspire each of us to protect our precious planet. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in November will be a thought provoking prelude to some very exciting activities here in Rochdale.” 

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones will be played alongside the sculpture.