University College London will mark its bicentennial with an immersive sound-and-light production that will transform its Wilkins Building into a large-scale projection canvas next February.
The event, titled UCL Illuminated, will run for three nights from February 11–13, 2026, and will use architectural projection mapping to turn the historic façade and surrounding Quad into a 12-minute audiovisual experience charting the university’s history from its founding in 1826 to the present day. Visitors will be guided through two centuries of research, culture, and innovation via animated visuals, narration, and music projected directly onto the building’s neoclassical exterior.
The production will also mark the public reopening of the newly remodeled Quad and Wilkins Building interiors, with audiences invited inside after the outdoor presentation to explore Two Centuries Here, a companion exhibition examining UCL’s role as London’s first university and its evolution into a global research institution. The exhibition combines archival material with modern interactive exhibits and newly commissioned installations.
Outside, the event will spill into the courtyard, featuring student performances, food vendors, and temporary pop-ups, creating a festival-style atmosphere around the architectural display. An additional digital installation, known as The UCL Eye, will use generative AI on a MicroLED screen to visualize ongoing research activity across the university.
UCL Illuminated will be open to the public, not just students and alumni, and forms the ceremonial launch of the university’s year-long bicentennial program. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the UCL200 scholarship fund.
(Images: Double Take Productions /UCL)