This October, visitors to North Yorkshire’s Fountains Abbey will have the rare opportunity to experience Helios, an extraordinary artwork by acclaimed artist Luke Jerram. Named after the ancient Greek sun god, this seven-metre spherical sculpture brings the sun down to earth through light, sound, and breathtaking solar imagery.
Helios combines illuminated visuals with a soundscape created from real NASA recordings, offering an immersive experience that captures the power, beauty, and intricacies of the sun. Each centimetre of the sculpture represents an astonishing 200km of the sun’s surface, allowing visitors to explore its immense scale in vivid detail.
From 4th–5th October and 11th–12th October 2025, Helios will shine within the nave of the atmospheric ruins of Fountains Abbey. Suspended inside the abbey’s historic walls, the glowing sphere will be visible both up close and from a distance—through the grand East Window on the approach to the water gardens. This marks the first time Helios has been displayed at a World Heritage Site, perfectly complementing the abbey’s reputation as “a masterpiece of human creative genius.”
To the monks who founded Fountains Abbey centuries ago, the sun played a vital role in structuring their daily lives. Now, Jerram’s modern interpretation will reconnect visitors with the same celestial force, framed by the rich autumn colours of the surrounding landscape.
You can visit the installation either in the day, at sunset or at sunrise. Each offers an alternative experience. Daytime access is from 10am to 4pm, and requires no extra ticket beyond normal admission.
For four special evenings, the abbey will reopen from 5–9pm to showcase Helios against the dramatic backdrop of floodlit ruins. Tickets are required, priced at £12 for adults, £6 for children (5–17), with free entry for under-5s and National Trust members. Evening visitors can also enjoy hot food from the Mill Yard street food market and Mill Café. Please note that only the abbey ruins will be open; the gardens will remain closed. Car parks close at 9:30pm.
Early risers can experience an unforgettable moment as the real sun rises over Fountains Abbey while Helios glows within its ruins. These sunrise sessions run from 6–8am on the same October weekends, with tickets priced as for the evening events. Admission and parking will be via West Gate only during these early hours.
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Feature Image Credit: Fountains Abbey
