Otherworld Philadelphia, a new ‘mixed-reality playground,’ is coming to Northeast Philly this spring

Get lost in the wondrous world of science fiction and fantasy with a new, immersive art experience coming to Northeast Philly this spring.

Otherworld Philadelphia is a mixed-reality playground filled with primordial monsters, glowing murals, LED-covered walls, modifiable fixtures, and enough mirrors to capture an album’s worth of Instagram selfies. Environments range from techno-utopian to muted relaxation to playfully vibrant — creating an indoor metropolis of 55 rooms.

After two years of preproduction and design, founder Jordan Renda said Otherworld Philadelphia will open in May on Grant Avenue off of Roosevelt Boulevard. With the help of Philly artists, modelers, and fabricators, he’s confident Philadelphians will be drawn to the space, which is larger than the company’s flagship location that opened in Columbus, Ohio, in May 2019.

Renda, a 2015 Ohio State grad, invested nearly $2 million to transform a former Sports Authority in Columbus into a 32,000-square-foot space with animatronic critters, murals, and colorful art rooms. It quickly became a fixture within Columbus’ entertainment scene, inspiring Renda to venture out to the East Coast.

The Philly venue, Renda said, will house more than 150 projectors, dozens of motion-tracking cameras, and more than 32,000 feet of LED lights. The space will offer sensory-based elements like puzzles, swings, floating figurines, and other features to engage visitors of varying interests and ages.

“It’s a totally different scale than the one in Columbus, and we’re excited to ramp up the production and finalize some things we weren’t able to do before,” Renda said.

The museum’s concept has a lot of layers, creative manager Hollie Hermes said. But at its core, it allows visitors to enter a world of mystifying creatures, stimulating artwork, child-friendly games, and other features in every corner.

“We want [guests] to completely forget about the world they came from, and get so immersed that it moves them through all these new emotions and feelings in a totally different world,” Hermes said. “Then, in the end, spit them back out totally fresh.”

Outside the maze of installations, there will be a gift shop, cafe, and bar. After-hours, the venue plans to host music events, aerialist performances, and other programs.

Philly artist Jess Sheeren, who helped craft the rug-covered creatures sprawled throughout the museum, said Otherworld will be a welcome addition to the city’s art scene.

“I’m excited for this,” she said. “It’s totally cool and it’s finally happening.”

Otherworld Philadelphia, 2500 Grant Ave., will have a soft opening in May and be fully operational by early summer. Tickets are $18.99-$29.99. Presale deals are available at otherworldphila.com.