AssetID: 55561010
Headline: Britain's Eden Project celebrates 25th birthday with choir's spectacular 'dawn chorus'
Caption: BY MARK WORGAN Britain’s groundbreaking Eden Project has celebrated its 25th birthday with a 300-strong choir and a huge five-tier birthday cake. The Cornwall-based attraction first opened on 17 March 2001 and has welcomed an average of a million visitors a year in the subsequent quarter of a century. Anniversary events began on Tuesday morning with a performance by the choir, made up of singers from 16 community groups across Cornwall. They performed a specially written song created by past and present members of Eden, before closing with Cornwall My Home alongside its original writer, Harry Glasson. A five-tier, hand-painted cake depicting key moments from Eden’s history was also cut by co-founder Sir Tim Smit and chief executive Andy Jasper. Sir Tim said: “Eden has always been a people story and the support we’ve had from so many institutions, organisations, individuals, communities and volunteers who backed this wild dream – gives me goosebumps even now and I hope they feel proud of their part in its creation. What you see here today is the power of collective imagination, made real. To see it makes you dream about what else we could achieve.” Discussing the Eden Project’s place in the world now, he added: “The world today feels a more dangerous place than 25 years ago, and our duty is to commit to spreading the message of possibility far and wide. Eden is a living theatre of plants and people, as well as a shop window into the exciting world coming towards us. Eden is different because we take action and demonstrate rather than just talk.“ The celebrations took place during English Tourism Week, which recognises the sector’s contribution to the UK economy. Schools, volunteers and long-standing supporters attended the event. There was also a moment of reflection for two key figures in Eden’s history: former chairman Sir Ronnie Hampel and architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, whose design helped shape the site’s iconic biomes. Built in a former clay pit, the Eden Project is known for its large-scale greenhouse structures, which house diverse ecosystems. In recent years, the project has continued to develop, including the 2023 launch of the UK’s first operational deep geothermal well since 1986. The Eden Project has also developed a reputation as a live music venue and is set to host its 150th Eden Session in 2026. Looking ahead, the organisation plans further expansion, including international projects in China, Costa Rica, Morecambe and Scotland. A programme of events is planned throughout 2026, including new horticultural displays, play installations and wellbeing activities aimed at strengthening people’s connection with nature.
Keywords: eden project,nature,architecture,feature,photo,video,geodomes
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