Double Act - VR experience at Hove Museum

Double Act 

Monday 16 February – Sunday 22 February

HOVE MUSEUM OF CREATIVITY 

Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 5pm, Free

Please note in line with NSPCC safeguarding guidelines, this VR experience is suitable for participants aged 13 and over only. VR headsets may not be appropriate for younger children in terms of fit and physical comfort. Participants under 13 are therefore unable to take part.

Step into the birth of British cinema with Double Act, an immersive Virtual Reality experience at Hove Museum of Creativity this February.

Created by artist Jess Starns with creative technologists Thomas Buckley and Tom Ward, this richly detailed VR journey brings to life the intertwined stories of early film pioneers George Albert Smith and Laura Eugenia Bayley, who worked in Hove when Brighton was a global hub of filmmaking innovation in the early 20th century.

Guided by their voices, visitors are transported through a world of magic lantern shows, mesmerism and early film studios, including a recreation of the UK’s second ever film studio at St Ann’s Well Gardens. The experience highlights landmark works such as The Kiss in the Tunnel and Mary Jane’s Mishap while centring Bayley as a groundbreaking filmmaker in her own right.

Alongside the VR experience, Play Back Forward is a free hands-on exhibition featuring archival films, creative responses from local young people and new artist commissions by Chahine Fellahi and Annis Joslin. Both are presented as part of Days of Wonder, a citywide project celebrating Brighton and Hove’s film heritage.

No prior VR experience is needed and trained staff will be on hand to help.

Double Act runs 16 to 22 February 2026 at Hove Museum of Creativity. Book tickets here.