BOYNTON BEACH, FL — This summer, South Florida PBS is redefining what it means to experience history. Beginning May 22, the region’s largest public media company invites audiences to strap in and step back in time with two landmark virtual reality experiences: Napoleon: The Immersive Saga and Colosseum: The Legendary Arena — opening at the Cornelia T. Bailey Cultural Arts Center at South Florida PBS Studios in Boynton Beach.
These are not exhibits you walk through. They are worlds you enter. Powered by cutting-edge VR headset technology, 360-degree environments, and cinematic storytelling, both experiences place guests squarely inside two of history’s most defining eras — free-roaming, fully immersed, and part of the story.
Napoleon: The Immersive Saga
The VR journey begins with Napoleon’s own voice. After a cinematic pre-show tracing his rise from childhood to Emperor of France, and a museum-style gallery featuring replica artifacts — military uniforms, weapons, and Josephine Bonaparte’s royal gown— guests don VR headsets and are transported to 1817 on the island of Saint Helena. From there, Napoleon himself guides them through the pivotal moments that shaped his legend: the strategic tension of a war council before the Battle of Austerlitz, the thunder of cavalry charges, and the harrowing retreat at Berezina. It is history at its most visceral — lived, not learned.
Colosseum: The Legendary Arena
In this powerful 30-minute roaming VR experience, guests are dropped into ancient Rome at the height of its empire. Following the journey of famed gladiator Flamma, visitors step into the arena before a roaring crowd of 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. The experience goes beyond the spectacle — taking guests beneath the Colosseum floor to explore the hidden world of gladiatorial life, its discipline, danger, and drama. Paired with a 3D Colosseum replica, life-size gladiator helmet recreation, and an ancient Roman coin collection, the experience blurs the line between museum and time machine.
A New Frontier for Cultural Entertainment
Together, these two VR experiences mark a bold new chapter for South Florida PBS — one where public media meets immersive innovation, and where education becomes an adventure. Designed for history enthusiasts, families, and curious explorers of all ages, both experiences run through September 30, 2026.
VISIT INFORMATION
Dates: May 22, 2026, through September 30, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Location: Cornelia T. Bailey Cultural Arts Center at South Florida PBS Studios, 3401 South Congress Avenue, Boynton Beach, FL
Tickets: www.southfloridapbs.org/immersive
