Why London's O2 Arena was changed as people 'lose their minds' over what was inside before
A light has been shone on the generational divide between Gen Z and Millennials after the younger lot found out that London's O2 Arena had a very different previous life before the concerts took over the venue.
Anyone born before the mid-1990s will remember the iconic dome opening its doors for the first time on 31 December, 1999.
A huge project that was given the green light by then Prime Minister Tony Blair, it cost the tax payer £789 million which is equivalent to £1.45 billion in modern money.
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Dubbed the Millennium Dome, it was a celebration of art and culture as we geared up to celebrate the turn of the millennium and welcome in the year 2000.
What was the Millennium Dome?
First thought up back in 1994, politicians in the UK wanted to come up with a way to kickstart the third millennium in a grand showcase.
After being rubber-stamped by Blair, it opened on New Year's Eve 1999 with the late Queen Elizabeth II attending the ceremony.
It was then open to the general public for the entirety of 2000.
There were 14 exhibition areas across the Dome - Body, Mind, Faith, Self Portrait, Work, Learning, Rest, Play, Talk, Money, Journey, Shared Ground, Living Island, and Home Planet. All very meta and artistic in nature, exploring different themes and concepts.
There would be singers, dancers, and performers across the venue all showcasing different talents alongside the exhibits themselves.
One of the most iconic attractions was Ron Mueck's giant 'Boy' sculpture, which was a piece of art showing a giant boy with his legs tucked under his chin.
The Body Zone in particular was one of the most noticeable areas as people walked through a maze designed to teach you about the human body. It was designed in a way to make you think you were walking through an enormous person, starting by walking through their arm and exiting through the heel on the foot.
Other exhibits were a bit more culturally modern, such as a giant fussball table where at least 10 people could play on either side.
There was also an experience within the Travel Zone where you sat on mopeds and videos were shown on the bike visors, to mimic you travelling through the streets of London.
When did it close and why?
The Millennium Dome closed exactly a year after it opened on 31 December, 2000.
Six and a half million people had walked through its doors. Unfortunately, this was roughly half of the expected numbers forecasted during the construction stage.
It was reportedly costing £1 million a month to keep the Dome open to the public, it was found out after its closure.
Those visiting were full of praise for the project but given the money involved, the press took a much more cynical approach to the term 'success'.
Rebranding as the O2 Arena
Today the Millennium Dome is known as the O2 Arena, having been sub-leased to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) for 58 years in 2005.
But it was in 2001 when plans were first launched to transform the space in to a 20,000 seat sports and entertainment venue.
Time was then spent converting the space under the dome structure itself, which remains in place today. A total of £350 million was spent to create the music venue we know today.
It opened to the public in June 2007 with a massive concert with rock stars Bon Jovi.
In 2022, the roof of the O2 Arena was significantly damaged with sheeting ripped apart by Storm Eunice.
Topics: London, UK News, Music, Art, Weird, Viral, Entertainment
Tom Earnshaw