A touring lunar artwork, which has dazzled over 20 million people across 41 countries, has never been seen in south Essex – until last week. Museum of the Moon, a seven-metre-wide art installation by world-renowned artist Luke Jerram, arrived at St Martin’s Church in Basildon at the beginning of February.
It stayed in the church for three weeks, ending last Saturday – February 22 – and Basildon residents have some mixed views on the sculpture. Some said that it was inspiring and interesting, with others calling it “very poor”.
Rachel Brown, programme director for Creative BasildON, said ahead of the launch: “This is more than just an artwork; it’s an experience. It’s a chance for everyone in our community to feel inspired, connected, and proud of where they live. Basildon is anything but ‘sad,’ and this proves it.”
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Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents approximately 5km of the moon’s surface.
Over its lifetime, the Museum of the Moon will be presented in a number of different ways both indoors and outdoors, so altering the experience and interpretation of the artwork. As it travels from place to place, it gathers new musical compositions and an ongoing collection of personal responses, stories and mythologies, as well as highlighting the latest moon science.
The installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones. Each venue also programmes their own series of lunar inspired events beneath the moon.
Despite all of this, Basildon residents had some mixed views on the moon sculpture, and were not impressed with either the overall appearance or the activities that accompanied it. Basildon resident Tracey Rushbrook said: “It was extremely disappointing. It was called museum of the moon, so we expected to see more than just a moon.
“Usually museums have lots of items and information. There was no one doing a talk about it, no information about it and not even an arrow pointing to where they were supposed to have landed on it. Extremely poor, in my opinion.”
Others complained about the lighting in the church, saying that it was too bright and didn’t provide the right atmosphere, on social media. However, the moon also received praise from visitors, with some saying it was very educational and added something fun to the town.
Rachel Brown added: “Creative Basildon was thrilled to host the Museum of the Moon at St Martin’s Church in Basildon for almost three weeks this February. Nearly 6,500 visitors experienced the event, and due to high demand, additional tickets were made available for both public viewings and interactive workshops. The exhibition attracted a wonderfully diverse audience—from local schools and community groups to some unexpected guests (yes, even greyhounds!).
“The program featured an immersive wraparound workshop, offering attendees unique opportunities to experience the artwork through music, dance, yoga, crafts, painting, and a series of five engaging space talks delivered by the UK Space Agency. We’re grateful to everyone who attended and would love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback with us via our website or social media.”
