What Is The Immersive Oak Tree Exhibition At Yorkshire Sculpture Park?

Ever walked through one of Yorkshire’s beautiful parks and wondered what’s really going on inside one of those massive old trees? Not just the squirrels darting around, but the hidden world under the bark and deep in the roots? A groundbreaking new exhibition is about to reveal exactly that, and it’s happening right here in Yorkshire.

The world-famous Yorkshire Sculpture Park is preparing to host an extraordinary immersive experience called Of the Oak. Created by the acclaimed artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, this is no traditional gallery exhibition. It’s a full sensory journey into the secret world of an ancient oak tree, blending digital art, sound, and cutting-edge technology. It’s set to be one of the highlights of the festive season.

So What Exactly Is ‘Of The Oak’?

Step inside the park’s historic 18th-century Chapel, and instead of pews or altars, you are surrounded by light, sound, and motion that make you feel as though you’ve shrunk down and stepped inside a living oak tree.

Of the Oak is a large-scale video and sound installation that exposes the hidden networks and processes keeping a tree alive. Visitors are taken on a digital journey from the highest canopy leaves down through the trunk and into the deepest roots.

You’ll see nutrients pulsing like a heartbeat, and you’ll meet the tiny organisms and fungi that create the underground “wood wide web.” You’ll also witness the incredible biodiversity that depends on oak trees, from insects to birds to microscopic life.

It’s nature like you’ve never seen it before.

How On Earth Did They Create This?

This is where the magic meets the science. Marshmallow Laser Feast didn’t simply film a tree, they created a digital double of a real Lucombe Oak from Kew Gardens using highly advanced technology.

To build the virtual tree, they used:

• LiDAR scanning – lasers used to create an ultra-detailed 3D map of the tree
• Ground-penetrating radar – providing a full picture of the roots beneath the soil
• CT-scanned soil samples – revealing the hidden life inside the earth
• Thousands of images and data points – stitched together to create a living digital replica

The audio is just as immersive. A sound team recorded 24 hours of natural forest audio at Kew’s Wakehurst woodland, building a surround-sound environment that puts you right inside nature’s soundtrack.

The result is a breathtaking blend of art, science, and technology.

Why An Oak Tree Is A World Of Its Own

A single oak tree can support more than 2,300 species, a staggering display of biodiversity. Birds nest in the branches, lichens cling to the bark, insects burrow inside, fungi weave through the roots, and mammals feed on the acorns.

Of the Oak demonstrates how energy flows from the sun through the leaves, down the trunk, and into the soil, nourishing entire ecosystems.

It’s mesmerising for adults and magical for children, helping visitors understand just how alive a tree really is. And with Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s rolling landscapes outside, it’s the perfect setting to appreciate these natural wonders.

A Word From The People Behind The Magic

Bringing this installation from Kew Gardens to Yorkshire is a major moment.

Ersin Han Ersin of Marshmallow Laser Feast said:

“We’re thrilled that after its world premiere at Kew Gardens earlier this year, Of the Oak is being presented at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. YSP stands as a pinnacle of how the dialogue between nature and art can be nurtured.”

Dr Alex Hodby, Head of Programmes at YSP, added:

“Of the Oak encourages visitors to see trees, and our relationship with them, in a new light, deepening our connection with the living world around us.”

The experience also includes guided meditations written by leading scientists and nature writers, offering moments of calm within the busy festive season.

Planning Your Visit To The Chapel Exhibition

Of the Oak opens in the Chapel at Yorkshire Sculpture Park on 6 December and runs throughout the festive period and into 2026.

Key details:

• Free admission for children and young people under 18
• Adults: £11 with Gift Aid
• Parking is free
• Booking recommended, especially during school holidays

YSP is a registered charity, so every visit helps support its mission to bring world-class art to the public.

This exhibition is a perfect family day out, an inspiring mix of art, science, nature, and technology you won’t want to miss.