Visitors to Sudeley Castle and Gardens are invited on a globetrotting animal adventure this summer 2023, as the historic estate plays host to animals from all over the world at its brand-new Animal Ark attraction.
With the aim of becoming 'the world's first digital reserve', there's a new Augmented Reality treasure hunt and Animal Ark area which over 50 life-sized animal sculptures now call home.
Beginning with a journey back in time to see prehistoric AR animals, intrepid explorers can search the castle grounds for wildlife from the past, taking them to some of the lesser-known spots within Sudeley's 10 award-winning gardens — including a lynx hiding in amongst the yew hedges.
They then come face to face with new sculptures including lions; leopards; pandas; Argali sheep; wolves; and yaks, all handcrafted using flowers, grasses and natural materials.
After travelling through habitats from China, India, Kenya, Tibet and even the North Pole, visitors are brought back to Britain for a celebration of our native wildlife, with two giant blue butterflies; an AR beaver; an extra-large ladybird; Sudeley's supersized hedgehog; and the Birdsong Garden, which features a musical composition of British birdsong from acoustic ecologist and conservationist, Cosmo Sheldrake.
As well as raising awareness of animal conservation all over the world, the British section of the new attraction specifically aims to raise awareness of the vital work of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Winchcombe Green Town — both of which Sudeley Castle supports — to preserve and replenish wildlife and the natural habitat in the local area.
The attraction has also been designed to honour the late Mark Shand, who is Queen Camilla's brother, the late Lord Ashcombe's nephew and the founder of the Elephant Family NGO, which works to protect Asian elephants from extinction.
The Animal Ark is included with admission to Sudeley Castle and Gardens, with tickets costing £19.50 for adults, £8.75 for children aged three to 15 or £48 for a family of two adults and two children.
To book tickets, visit sudeleycastle.co.uk/book.
