Immersive Expedition
By Naperville Magazine
Appears in the November 2025 issue.
By Jeff Banowetz
Rosemont’s new virtual reality experience combines storytelling with technology
It’s like a scene from a sci-fi movie: You’re standing at the base of the Great Pyramid in Egypt when a slab of rock magically lifts you off the ground and transports you into the sky, giving you the full sense of this ancient wonder’s immense size.
But this is different from a movie. You actually feel like you’re standing on the rock, and your knees get a little wobbly. You can see the Nile River delta as it appeared 4,500 years ago, hear the breeze in your ears, and feel as if you’ve jumped in time.
But you haven’t. You’re still in Rosemont, with your feet still planted firmly on the ground inside EXP, one of the newest entertainment destinations to hit the area and the first standalone virtual reality experience created by Montreal-based PHI Studios in partnership with the Village of Rosemont. The 26,000-square-foot venue opened in September and offers two immersive, family-friendly experiences, with additional options planned for the months ahead.
“EXP is actually the first permanent venue that we’re opening,” said Eric Albert, the CEO of PHI Studio, at the facility’s grand opening. “It gives us the ability to present not only our own productions but also the productions of friends and other studios.”
Visitors to EXP (which derives its name from “expressions, experiences and explorations”) can be transported to two different eras. Horizon of Khufu: Journey in Ancient Egypt examines the pyramids built between 2590 and 2565 BC and was created in conjunction with Harvard Professor Peter Der Manuelian’s Giza Project. It has been touring the world for the last five years, with more than 1.5 million tickets sold.
Life Chronicles goes even further back, to examine “major milestones of life on Earth—from the origin of life through the Cambrian explosion, the age of dinosaurs, and the rise of humans.” The journey spans 3.5 billion years, starting with the earliest microbes and features prehistoric forests, giant marine reptiles, and a family of dinosaurs that date back 67 million years. It continues to present-day Africa, where you’ll walk amid giraffes and zebras on the savanna.
While both may sound like the type of movie you’d find on an IMAX screen at a science museum, these experiences provide a different way to examine the topic. Patrons are fitted with a virtual reality headset, which covers their eyes and ears. They then enter the experience space, about the size of a large high school gym, where they roam freely. This isn’t a ride, and there’s no sitting. The experience feels as if you’re on a guided tour through a real place, with a virtual tour guide, other humans, and animals all interacting in the space.
In Horizon of Khufu, a guide leads you through the present-day Great Pyramid of Giza, and you’ll walk through narrow passageways and explore the inside as it would look to an archaeologist today. You duck under low-hanging arches and take a step up over ledges, even if they don’t actually exist.
The virtual reality headset displays other people on the tour as translucent avatars, allowing you to keep track of their location and avoid collisions. And a grid will appear if you walk too far astray from the chosen path, reminding you to get back on target, with an arrow pointing in the right direction. You can even select the language to get the most out of the trip (English, French, Spanish, and Mandarin are now available).
The environment created by these experiences is realistic, but retains an element of electronic art versus photorealism. It’s a bit like being inside a video game. But all the elements feel authentic enough that you’ll probably surprise yourself by how often you reach out to, say, pet the cat that wanders up next to you.
There’s a storytelling element to each presentation as well. Through the 45-minute experience you’ll learn more about your environment but also go on a trip where you’re not sure what comes next.
Once the experience is over, you’ll take off the headset and realize that what you’ve actually done is walk around a wide-open space surrounded by white walls with black squiggles to help the virtual reality goggles navigate. Look back, and you’ll see other participants twisting their bodies around imagined obstacles and reaching out to touch critters that only exist as pixels, visible only to them.
Virtual reality exhibits aren’t new, but this melding of technology and storytelling has taken the art/science form to a new level—one that should appeal to a wide range of people.
Participants must be at least 8 years of age, but beyond that, almost anyone can put on the headset and transport themselves to a new time and place.
“It’s an incredible journey where you’re going to see things that are not possible to see in real life,” Albert said. “We’re excited that this new facility allows more people to get that experience.”
EXP is located at 9900 Beryn Ave., across the street from Impact Field, in the Pearl Street District of Rosemont. Timed-entry tickets are available for purchase online or at the facility, with prices starting at $43 for adults and $31 for children ages 8 to 16. For more information, visit exprosemont.com.
While in Rosemont
Near O’Hare, this town just northwest of Chicago also has developed a wide variety of attractions that make it an excellent choice for a day trip, especially when you’re looking for an indoor activity to do with the family. Here are some other options:
Fashion Outlets of Chicago: Enjoy outlet shopping at this destination with more than 140 stores, including Bloomingdale’s Outlet, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Forever 21, and Nordstrom Rack. fashionoutletsofchicago.com
Allstate Arena and the Rosemont Theatre: These two large venues host touring musicians and other shows throughout the year. Allstate Arena is also home to the Chicago Wolves hockey team. rosemont.com
Dave & Busters: Arcade games, billiards, and food are the draw at this grown-up playground that shares a parking lot with EXP. daveandbusters.com
iFly: Take flight at this indoor skydiving facility. iflyworld.com
Photos: EXP
