Inside EXP Rosemont: Chicago’s Mind-Bending New VR Playground Where Ancient Egypt and Dinosaurs Come Alive

Rosemont is about to get a jolt of pure, reality-bending adrenaline. EXP Rosemont, a next-level immersive VR destination from Montreal’s trailblazing Phi Studio, officially opens tomorrow in the Pearl District—just a heartbeat from O’Hare. And trust us, this isn’t your average headset-in-a-mall VR joint. This is 26,000 square feet of pure digital sorcery, built for anyone who’s ever wanted to time travel without leaving Chicagoland.

Step inside and you’ll find two epic, free-roaming VR expeditions that feel less like video games and more like stepping into an IMAX movie you can actually touch. The lineup rotates every few months, but opening day fires out of the gate with two heavy hitters: Horizon of Khufu and Life Chronicles—and both are jaw-dropping.

Horizon of Khufu drops you smack in the middle of Ancient Egypt, where Harvard Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian helped craft a stunningly accurate recreation of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Imagine sailing the Nile, creeping into secret chambers normally off-limits to humanity, and standing at the foot of a 4,500-year-old monument while King Khufu’s funerary rites unfold around you. It’s eerie, it’s electric, and it’s as close as you’ll ever get to walking with the pharaohs—unless you have a time machine hidden in your garage.

If pyramids aren’t your jam, Life Chronicles launches you on a family-friendly odyssey that rockets through 3.5 billion years of evolution. One minute you’re swimming with ancient microbes, the next you’re dodging the tails of life-sized Jurassic giants and strolling through lush prehistoric forests. The journey ends in a modern African savanna, where giraffes and zebras roam free—and yes, they feel startlingly real.

Both experiences run 45 minutes each, are open to guests ages 8 and up, and can be booked back-to-back. Whether you want to chase dinosaurs, sail the Nile, or split missions with a friend, EXP Rosemont makes it easy to jump between worlds.

This isn’t just a tech flex—it’s an art form. Phi Studio has a global rep for fusing science, storytelling, and jaw-dropping visuals into something you don’t just watch—you live. Chicago, welcome to the future of entertainment.

Tickets are live now at EXP Rosemont! Go ahead, ditch the Netflix queue and rewrite your weekend plans. The pyramids—and the dinosaurs—are waiting.

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