If you grew up in the south of England at any point in the last 20 years, you probably went on a school trip to the OG Eden Project. Those sweaty biomes have been the go-to spot for nature lovers and stressed geography teachers alike since their rainforest doors first flung open back in 2001.
Now, there’s a new Eden in town – or at least there will be soon. And this one’s going underground.
Set to open in 2028 and cost £32.7 million, the new attraction will be carved into a disused limestone quarry on the Isle of Portland, right on the Jurassic Coast. It’s technically called MEMO Portland (short for Mass Extinction Memorial Observatory), but because it’s being developed with the Eden Project team, most people are already calling it Eden Portland. Think fewer domes, more dramatic tunnels - a kind of eco-Batcave for climate-curious tourists.
The plan is to turn almost a kilometre of underground mine shafts into a massive, immersive experience that tells the story of life on Earth; from the dawn of time to whatever it is we’re doing to the planet now. Expect fossils, big feelings, high-tech visuals, and even an immersive theatre. Punchdrunk, eat your heart out.
The project’s been kicking around in various forms for a while, but with Eden officially on board, it’s finally gaining traction. PM Keir Starmer even name-dropped it during Prime Minister’s Questions recently, calling it ‘hugely exciting’. If MEMO Portland all goes ahead, it’s expected to draw 325,000 visitors a year and pump £24 million into the local economy. Not bad for a load of caves.
It’s all part of the Eden Project’s plan to expand across the UK, with Eden Project Morecambe – a huge new seafront site in Lancashire – also aiming to open by 2028.
As for the Portland project, public consultations are happening now, and funding is being finalised - so watch this (buried, climate-conscious, slightly eerie) space. You'll be deep underground fretting about phone signal before you know it.
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