Austin is going way, way back in time for this upcoming edutainment experience. The immersive virtual reality experience Age of Dinosaurs launching worldwide, including in Austin, on Friday, April 3.
Users will learn from the Natural History Museum in London and paleontologist Dr. Darren Naish about how dinosaurs lived. A press release calls it a "family-friendly experience grounded in science." In addition to teaching about the past, the exhibit is meant to inspire visitors to care for nature going forward.
The experience is not just visual. Sandbox VR, a global chain of venues for virtual reality experiences, uses full-body tracking (representing your whole body digitally) and haptic vests (giving touch sensations) to really immerse the user. Guests will feel a Brachiosaurus stomping by, or the wind pushed around by a nearby pterosaur's wings.
"With Age of Dinosaurs, we are pushing the boundaries of what location-based VR can achieve by blending cinematic spectacle with scientific discovery," said Sandbox founder and CEO Steve Zhao in the release. "Collaborating with the Natural History Museum, London allowed us to create something truly special: an experience where guests don’t just watch history but step directly inside it. With our network growing faster than ever, we’re excited to bring this level of scientific realism to more cities across the world.”
The release emphasizes that this type of learning is mutually beneficial for users and the museum that helped create it. This means more people around the world will be familiar with the museum and the quality of information it provides. It was the most-visited attraction in the United Kingdom in 2025.
"It’s the dream of every dinosaur expert to help bring these amazing animals to life," said Naish on the Sandbox website. "We’ve done everything we can to portray dinosaurs, their contemporaries and their world according to current scientific understanding."
Tickets (starting at $39 per person as a limited offer) are available now at sandboxvr.com. Up to six people can book a time slot. Sandbox VR is located at The Domain at 11600 Rock Rose Ave., Unit 128.
