See Luke Jerram's Helios at Seaton Delaval Hall

Published:: 14 February 2025

A large, scaled sculpture of the sun sits suspended inside the centre of an empty room. Beneath it, there is a black and white checked floor. The shot is taken from a balcony, with a black railing in front of the sun. — Luke Jerram's Helios in the Central Hall at Seaton Delaval Hall Northumberland | © Bec Hughes, House of Hues

Visit Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland from Wednesday 19 March to Sunday 6 April to see international renowned artist Luke Jerram’s brand-new 7-metre diameter sculpture Helios, Ancient Greek for the sun, follows Luke’s previous celestial sculptures of ‘Gaia’ ‘Museum of the Moon’ and ‘Mars’.

A closer look at the sun

Named after the ancient Greek god of the sun, Helios offers a detailed view of the star, including rare features like sunspots. The sculpture is scaled so that each centimetre represents 2,000 kilometres of the real sun's surface.

Along with its glowing light, Helios includes a soundscape featuring NASA recordings of the sun, by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson. Together, the light and sound create a unique and immersive experience, inviting us to explore the sun's hidden beauty and power up close.

At an approximate scale of 1:200 million, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 2000km of the sun’s surface.

Connecting people, art and nature

Through this piece, we're continuing our tradition of presenting new and historic art to everyone. For centuries, places in our care have displayed artworks in houses, gardens and parklands across the country, and this will continue with the help of our partners, supporters and ambassadors.

Seaton Delaval Hall is one such place, where throughout its history its inhabitants have been synonymous with involvement in and support of the arts. From the 18th century commissioning of painter Arthur Pond to produce views of the hall, the backing of erotic novelist, John Clelland, the patronage of William Bell who produced family portraits and tutored Rhoda Delaval, through to the 21st Lord Hastings’ support of The Royal Ballet.

Helios: Under the Sun

See our programme of events surrounding Helios and, where needed, book your tickets and find out what's happening and when on the links below.

A photo of the Helios art installation which is a giant yellow ball suspended in the Bath Assembly Rooms — Luke Jerram's Helios will be at Seaton Delaval Hall from 19 March - 6 April | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Helios Under the Sun: Quiet Time

Enjoy peaceful time under the sun at Seaton Delaval Hall as we open the Saloon and Central Hall early at 10:15am to enable people to see Helios with a more relaxed feel. This time is perfect to help people living with neurodiversity or additional sensory needs immerse themselves in the experience of seeing Helios without worrying about how busy the space will be. During this time, access to the space will be for a limited number of ticket holders only. Helios’s accompanying soundscape will be switched off throughout this time. An accompanying subtitled film plays with Helios; its sound will be turned down. Normal admission applies but please book a ticket for quiet time. Carers are always offered free entry but please book a quiet time ticket to enable us to manage numbers in the space.

Book your tickets for Helios Under the Sun: Quiet Time now

A close up of Helios hanging in the Ball Room at Bath Assembly Rooms. — Discover the science behind the sun with a talk from leading astronomer, Dr Steph Yardley | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Helios Under the Sun: Our Explosive Sun, a talk by Dr Steph Yardley, Northumbria University

Join us and enjoy a talk from one of the UK’s leading astronomers, Dr Steph Yardley. This talk focuses on how scientists observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere and the methods scientists use to predict solar activity to minimise the disruption that solar eruptions cause to our everyday lives. Free with your membership or standard admission.

Find out more and plan your visit

A young white girl with blonde hair and wearing a white jacket is crouching down, with her eye over a golden telescope. Behind her, three white girls are standing wearing purple and blue rain coats. The nearest has short plaits. — Join astronomers from Kielder Observatory to discover more about the sun | © Annapurna Mellor

Helios Under the Sun: A Solar Celebration with Kielder Observatory

Visit the hall to see artist Luke Jerram's Helios and join expert astronomers from Kielder Observatory for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the sun but were afraid to ask. They’ll bring a special telescope with solar filters for observing the sun directly and searching for sunspots across its surface (weather permitting, of course!). No question is too big or small!

Plan your visit

A silhouette of a group of people looking through telescopes with a dark purple, black and starry night sky behind them — Astronomers from Kielder Observatory will lead a talk on the sun and Aurora Borealis | © Steve Sayers

Helios Under the Sun: An Evening of Solar Celebrations

Visit during extended opening to discover artist Luke Jerram’s Helios and join expert astronomers from Kielder Observatory for a talk on the Sun, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and how cultures have been influenced by their observations throughout history. Book your ticket for a place on this talk. Tickets free with standard admission or your membership.

Find out more and book your ticket.

A white female wearing a navy jumper, fingerless gloves and orange scarf is holding a pen and writing on a notepad at a table. In front of her is a large egg timer with sand and behind her is a blurry white male figure. — Poets Scott Tyrrell and Kate Fox in a previous appearance as part of The Poetry Takeaway at Seaton Delaval Hall | © Bec Hughes, House of Hues

Helios Under the Sun: The Poetry Takeaway

What does the sun mean to you? An ice cream with friends on the beach? Growing flowers, fruits and veg in your garden? Whatever memories or feelings it brings out in you, chat with the team from the Poetry Takeaway and they’ll have a rummage in the lexical larder then whisk you up a piping hot sunshine themed poem!

Find out more

A bald white man with a beard holds a sheet of paper with blank ink. He is standing next to a girl in a purple fleece, a shorter boy with blonde hair in a grey tshirt and a woman whose face is obscured by long blonde hair. They are standing in a room with printing materials. — A family takes part in a print making activity at nearby Cherryburn, Northumberland | © James Dobson

Helios Under the Sun: Sunshine Print Sessions with Northern Print

Using an image of the sun laser engraved into a printing plate, make your own one-of-a-kind print to take home in this drop-in session led by experts from the North East’s printmaking centre for excellence, Northern Print.

Plan your visit

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Extended Opening

See Helios as the real sun sets! We're keeping the Central Hall and Saloon open until 8pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays to give you the chance to see it as the sun goes down. Join us for a packed programme of evening events and activities in our extended opening.

Making Helios accessible

Helios will be in Seaton Delaval Hall's Central Hall, which is reached via 14 steps. For the last few years, the team here has been working with national specialists in access, archaeology, conservation and heritage to consider how we might make the upper levels of the hall more accessible and provide an equitable experience for all without damaging the fabric of this Grade I listed building. Until we can realise these plans, we have purchased a Stairmate Major stairclimber to improve accessibility.

If you would like to make use of the Stairmate Major stairclimber to see Helios, please book a slot here. If you would like to discuss your requirements with us in more detail, including how we can support you on your visit, please call us on 0191 237 9100. Please note that the Stairmate Major stairclimber provides access to the upper ground levels of the Saloon and Central Hall only. Level access to the Basement can be found beneath the South Portico steps. Level access to parts of the ground levels of the West Wing can be found via the West Wing Kitchen entrance in the Central Courtyard.

Due to the nature of this equipment, for safety reasons the Stairmate Major cannot operate in wet weather. In the event of this on the day of your booking please call us on 0191 237 9100 to discuss rearranging. Thank you.

Where to see Helios next

Find our where to see Helios next here.

Helios has been co-comissioned by National Trust, Cork Midsummer Festival, Liverpool Cathedral, Old Royal Naval College and University College London.

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