A Giant Six-Metre Sun Installation Is Coming To Auckland And It’s Free To Visit

Aucklanders, prepare to soak up some serious cosmic sunshine. Touching down in Tāmaki Makaurau for the very first time, Helios is a jaw-dropping, larger-than-life artwork by renowned British artist Luke Jerram. Both a scientific marvel and immersive art installation, this sun art installation offers a rare chance to get up close and personal with our closest star, without, you know, vaporising.

Measuring a colossal six metres in diameter, Helios is constructed from roughly 400,000 images of the Sun’s surface, combining stunning astrophotography with NASA solar data. The result is an internally lit, hyper-detailed orb that reveals sunspots, spicules and filaments in mesmerising clarity, all set to an immserive soundscape designed to pull you right into its orbit.

Image Credit: Helios | Bec Hughes, House of Hues

The first glimpse of Helios will take place on opening night of the new New Zealand International Convention Centre on Thursday 12 February, before it settles into its week-long residency at Auckland Town Hall’s Concert Chamber from Saturday 7 March to Sunday 15 March, as part of the Auckland Arts Festival. 

Director of Auckland Live, Daniel Clarke is thrilled to bring Helios to Aotearoa for the first time, saying:
“Presenting Helios as a free public exhibition reflects our commitment to opening up Auckland’s civic spaces for shared cultural experiences. Bringing an international artwork of this scale into the Auckland Town Hall creates an opportunity for people to come together, slow down and encounter something extraordinary in the heart of the city.”

Image Credit: Helios | ​Liverpool Cathedral, Rob Battersby

Best of all, Helios is completely free to view, with no bookings required; just rock up and bask in its glow. With a programme of additional free events set to drop soon, Helios is shaping up to be one of Tāmaki Makaurau's top cultural events of 2026. 

Get more information here.

Main image credit: Helios | National Trust Images, Anthony Chappell-Ross