This three-level facility with analog, media and virtual experiences including sculptural light reveals the history of Roman life and the cult of Mithras. Over 600 artifacts from the Roman Era discovered on the site are displayed in a large display case as part of the entry sequence. Ranging from leather shoes to pottery to jewelry, the collection comprises the most important archaeological discovery in 20th-century Britain. The god Mithras, the 3rd century temple ruin, and the “tauroctony” or altar stone are each rendered in a translucent resin panel and set atop interactive displays amidst a dramatic projection of shadowy images engaging in ritual. On the lowest level, completing the image of the temple ruin itself, are a series of light planes that emerge as part of a presentation that includes instrumentation, chanting, water, fire and other effects to bring Mithras to life. To accomplish the structural quality of light planes, the room is filled with “haze” (a glycol/water theatrical fog). The atmosphere creates a magical, immersive environment where people can experience the volume of the temple in its glory.
