A powerful new social art installation is coming to London this September, inviting visitors to step inside a mirrored sculpture and hear directly from people living with ME and Long Covid.
The Royal Opera House is set to host The Mirrorbox, an interactive social art installation exploring the experiences of people who are unable to visit the places they love because of illness.
Taking place in the Royal Opera House’s Paul Hamlyn Hall on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026, the free installation will invite visitors to listen to personal messages from people living with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and Long Covid, before responding with a postcard of their own.
The project is designed to create a conversation between those who are absent from public spaces and those who are able to be there.
What is The Mirrorbox?
The Mirrorbox is a touring interactive sculpture created as part of I Would Be Here If I Could, a collaborative social art project co-created with people living with ME and Long Covid.
The installation travels to locations across the UK that hold special meaning for people who can no longer physically reach them.
At each stop, visitors can step inside the mirrored structure and hear a message from someone who has chosen that particular location as a place they love.
At the Royal Opera House, visitors will hear a message from Charlotte W, who has selected the theatre as somewhere special to her but is no longer able to visit because of illness.
After listening to Charlotte’s message, visitors will be invited to write her a postcard in response. The project team will then share the postcards with her, creating a unique exchange between someone who cannot be physically present and those who can.
A Different Way to Experience the Royal Opera House
The installation offers visitors an opportunity to consider accessibility and the ways illness and disability can affect someone’s ability to participate in cultural and public life.
The project highlights how people who are unable to leave their homes, or who face significant barriers to accessing public spaces, can become invisible within wider society.
By bringing their voices directly into places they wish they could visit, The Mirrorbox aims to make those experiences more visible while encouraging greater understanding and connection.
The Royal Opera House is the first stop on the second leg of The Mirrorbox journey. Following its London appearance, the sculpture will continue travelling to iconic locations around the UK, including Whitby Whalebone Arch and Tate Modern.
When is The Mirrorbox at the Royal Opera House?
The Mirrorbox will be open to the public:
Saturday 12 September 2026
12pm–6pm
Sunday 13 September 2026
12pm–6pm
There will also be an early opening from 11am to 12pm on Sunday 13 September specifically for visitors with access needs.
The installation is located in the Paul Hamlyn Hall at the Royal Opera House and is free to attend.
The experience is suitable for visitors aged 12 and over. The Royal Opera House also provides access information for visitors who may need additional support.
Can’t Make It to London? You Can Take Part Online
One of the most important elements of The Mirrorbox is that people don’t have to physically visit the installation to participate.
Through the project’s online message map, visitors can listen to messages from people living with ME and Long Covid and send digital postcards in response.
Explore The Mirrorbox Online Message Map
This remote element reflects the project’s central message: participation in culture and public life shouldn’t depend on someone’s ability to physically be present.
The Wider Conversation Around Accessibility
According to the Royal Opera House, around two million people in the UK live with ME or Long Covid. For many, symptoms and barriers including limited mobility, fluctuating energy and sensory challenges can make accessing public spaces difficult or impossible.
The Mirrorbox therefore isn’t simply an exhibition. It asks visitors to think about what it means to belong to a place when you can no longer physically access it.
The installation also forms part of a wider conversation about making cultural spaces more inclusive for people living with chronic illness, disability and other circumstances that can prevent them from participating in public life.
Visit The Mirrorbox at the Royal Opera House
If you’re looking for something different to do in London this September, The Mirrorbox offers a free and thought-provoking experience combining art, storytelling and social connection.
The installation will be at the Royal Opera House’s Paul Hamlyn Hall on 12 and 13 September 2026, with an access-focused early opening on Sunday morning.
Find Out More About The Mirrorbox at the Royal Opera House
The Mirrorbox
Paul Hamlyn Hall, Royal Opera House, London
12–13 September 2026
12pm–6pm
Free Entry
Early access opening: 11am–12pm on Sunday 13 September
