London has another brand new immersive experience, and of course, I had to go and see what it was all about! Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City officially opened at Westfield London in White City on 15 October 2026, taking over the space previously occupied by KidZania.
If you’ve been following my adventures for a while, you’ll know I absolutely love discovering new attractions, immersive experiences and unusual things to do in London, especially places that families can enjoy together.
However, I’m going to be honest. This one really wasn’t for me!
I wouldn’t say it was terrible, but I found the entire experience extremely weird. In fact, the best way I can describe it is that it felt like I’d walked straight into an episode of Black Mirror!
Before I get into my review, here’s a little more information about what Absurd City actually is, because I think some people might be just as confused as I was.
What is Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City in London?
Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City is a huge immersive art experience located inside Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush.
Created by the team behind Wake The Tiger in Bristol, the attraction covers approximately 80,000 square feet and features five themed districts spread across two floors.
The idea is that visitors enter a fictional parallel world and explore a city filled with unusual installations, interactive displays, hidden rooms, secret passageways and unexpected discoveries.
There’s actually a storyline behind the experience involving climate change, consumerism, corporate control and a mysterious resistance movement.
Unlike some immersive attractions, there’s no set route you have to follow. You’re free to explore at your own pace, open doors, investigate different spaces and discover things for yourself.
It’s essentially a combination of immersive art, storytelling and exploration rather than a traditional attraction with rides or structured activities.
My honest review of Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City
Now, I really wanted to enjoy this experience because I love anything a little different, and London has had some brilliant immersive attractions over the years.
But honestly, I just didn’t get it!
The best way I can describe Absurd City is that it feels like someone collected a whole load of random things that could be recycled and decided to build an entire city out of them.
And as it turns out, recycling and repurposing materials are actually a big part of the concept!
There’s a mixture of unusual objects, strange installations, colourful rooms, dark spaces and things that don’t necessarily seem to belong together.
It really does feel like something out of Black Mirror. It’s bizarre, a little unsettling in places and completely different from your typical family attraction.
I spent quite a bit of time wandering around wondering what exactly I was supposed to be doing and what the point of the experience was.
Of course, I understand that immersive art is subjective and not everything has to have an obvious purpose. Some people will love the creativity and the freedom to explore.
For me, though, it just didn’t really make sense, and I struggled to see the appeal.
What I actually liked about Absurd City
Although I wasn’t particularly impressed overall, there were a few things I thought were quite cool.
One thing I genuinely liked was how you could be standing in one room, open a random door and suddenly find yourself somewhere completely different.
You really don’t know what you’re going to discover next, and I thought that was quite a clever concept.
There are hidden areas, unusual corridors and different spaces to investigate. Some of the rooms are quite impressive in terms of their design, and you can tell a lot of imagination has gone into creating them.
It’s also very interactive. There are things to touch, investigate and play around with, rather than simply walking around looking at displays.
I can definitely see children enjoying the freedom to explore, especially those who love discovering hidden spaces.
The layout almost makes it feel like a giant maze, and I kept thinking it would be an amazing place to play hide and seek, although obviously that’s not what the attraction is designed for!
However, even with those positives, I still didn’t feel particularly connected to the experience.
Is Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City suitable for younger children?
This is something I think parents should consider before booking, particularly if they have younger children.
Although Absurd City is advertised as suitable for all ages, I personally think some parts could be quite scary for little ones.
There are dark rooms, strange installations, atmospheric sound effects and unusual lighting throughout the experience.
Some areas have a slightly eerie atmosphere, and because you don’t necessarily know what’s behind the next door, it can feel a little unsettling.
It’s not a horror attraction, and I wouldn’t describe the entire experience as frightening, but I do think children who are easily scared or sensitive to loud sounds and darkness might find certain areas overwhelming.
That doesn’t mean children won’t enjoy it. In fact, I think some kids will absolutely love exploring all the different rooms and discovering things along the way. However, I’d definitely recommend considering your child’s personality before booking.
If your child loves unusual environments, exploring and interactive attractions, this could be right up their street. But if they’re frightened by dark spaces or unexpected sounds, it might not be the best choice.
Is Absurd City where KidZania used to be?
Yes! If you remember KidZania at Westfield London, you’ll definitely recognise parts of the old attraction.
KidZania was an indoor city where children could explore different professions and take part in role-playing activities. Absurd City has now taken over that enormous space, and one thing I found quite interesting was spotting remnants of KidZania throughout the experience.
Rather than completely removing everything and starting again, the creators have repurposed parts of the existing structures and transformed them into something different.
Even parts of the old aeroplane have been incorporated into the new attraction! I actually found this quite interesting because I remember what the space looked like before. The use of recycled and reclaimed materials also fits into the attraction’s wider environmental themes.
However, if you’re visiting expecting something similar to KidZania, it’s worth knowing that the two experiences are completely different.
How much are Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City London tickets?
Ticket prices for Absurd City vary depending on the date and time you choose to visit.
The advertised introductory general admission prices have included:
- Adults aged 18 and over: from £22.95
- Teenagers aged 13 to 17: from £19.95
- Children aged 3 to 12: from £16.95
- Children under 3: FREE
- Eligible carers: FREE
These prices are subject to availability and can change, so I’d recommend checking the official booking website for the latest prices before visiting.
Personally, considering how I felt about the experience, I’m not convinced it offers particularly good value for money for everyone.
However, if you’re really into immersive art, unusual attractions and exploring surreal environments, you might feel completely differently.
How long do you need at Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City?
The attraction recommends allowing around three hours to explore the different districts, although the amount of time you spend there will depend on how much you want to investigate.
There are lots of rooms, corridors and hidden spaces to discover, so it’s possible to spend quite a while looking around. Because the experience is self-guided, you can explore at your own pace rather than following a fixed tour.
I think how long you stay will also depend on how much you enjoy the concept. Some people will want to investigate every little detail, while others might be ready to leave much sooner.
Where is Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City located?
Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City is located on the first floor of Westfield London, next to Marks & Spencer.
Address: Westfield London, Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, London, W12 7SL.
The nearest Underground stations include White City, Wood Lane and Shepherd’s Bush. As it’s located inside Westfield, it’s also a convenient indoor activity if you’re looking for something to do in London when the weather isn’t great.
There is also a themed food and drink venue called Wunderground Bar & Kitchen, which can be visited without purchasing an Absurd City admission ticket.
Is Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City worth visiting?
This is where things get a little tricky because I genuinely think Absurd City is the type of experience that people will either love or just not understand.
I can appreciate the creativity that’s gone into building it, and I did enjoy the concept of opening doors and discovering completely different environments. I also liked the interactive elements and the fact that visitors have the freedom to explore rather than being guided through everything.
However, personally, I found the whole thing extremely strange. I couldn’t really connect with the storyline or understand what I was supposed to take away from the experience.
I know some people will absolutely love the unusual artwork, bizarre rooms and slightly dystopian atmosphere, and that’s completely fine! It’s definitely different from most attractions in London, and I can appreciate the effort that’s gone into creating such an enormous space.
But for me, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Ultimately, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad attraction. I just don’t think it’s for everyone, and unfortunately, I’m one of those people!
As always, this is simply my own experience and opinion. Other visitors might have a completely different experience, which is why I think it’s important to share both the positives and negatives when reviewing family attractions.
Have you visited Wake The Tiger’s Absurd City at Westfield London yet? I’d genuinely love to know whether you enjoyed it or found it just as confusing as I did!
