The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks – Review

As a teenager I watched in awe as the  Apollo Mission began, I remember thinking that the world as we knew it would never be the same again. As an animal lover I recall being delighted that there were astronauts and not animals on board and like millions of others I held my breath as the first step on the moon took place.

For me, there is no doubt that this exhibition, presented in repertory for the first time outside of London, delivers an exceptional experience which I found not only educational but emotionally resonant as once again, I held my breath and  I relived that first “Giant leap for mankind.”  Tom Hanks narration of a unique perspective on humankind’s past and future voyages to the moon is utterly awe inspiring.

The warmth of Tom Hanks’ voice as he shares his personal recollections with the audience and takes us back in time to the days of him ‘glued to the TV set in the family TV room’ sets the scene as his powerful narration begins. Co-written by Tom Hanks and BAFTA-nominated writer-director Christopher Riley, The Moonwalkers provides a gripping account of the Apollo missions of the 1960’s and ‘70s at spectacular scale, blending original NASA footage and breathtaking images from Andy Saunders’ Apollo Remastered.

Tom Hanks has said: “As a youth, I was deeply affected by the Apollo missions finally taking us to the moon for the first time in human history. I would have gone myself, given the chance. I’ve worked on many projects to re-create those times and to bring alive the scale, the risks, and the accomplishment of the voyages; the dedication and commitment of the human being who made each journey, the story of each chapter of Apollo. The extraordinary, unique production capabilities of Lightroom have allowed me, alongside writer Christopher Riley, directors Nick Corrigan and Lysander Ashton, and composer Anne Nikitin, to tell what we believe is the most visceral and enthralling version to date. We can include everyone on humanity’s journey beyond our earth of 50 years ago and for those about to come with a prelude to the next time human beings will walk on the moon: the Artemis missions.”

The whole jaw-dropping  experience is detailed and in chronological order, and a  curation masterclass. The emotions cannot but be stirred when the audience are  provided with a sense of being transported to to moon and can feel that they are seated on the moon itself. With a spectacular original score from Anne Nikitin, recorded by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, the production is a veritable feast for the senses.

I was sad that the subtitles, while they are available, are positioned high up on the wall, making them difficult to follow without craning your neck, however, the news inserts with the vast scale of the projections ensure that the visuals are captivating.

The experience is a breathtaking journey into the story of the Apollo missions and the Artemis programme, because we must look ahead to the next chapter, in space travel. The production features newly filmed interviews between Tom Hanks and astronauts from the current Artemis programme, offering audiences a glimpse into the future of crewed surface missions to the moon.

This winter I would certainly recommend stepping into The Moonwalkers – an awe-inspiring immersive experience for all ages. This extraordinary show brings the epic story of humankind’s journeys to the Moon vividly to life.

The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks is at Aviva Studios from 16 December 2025 to 11 January 2026 It is one of three large-scale 360° immersive experiences from Lightroom running in repertory at Aviva Studios this winter with the return of David Hockney alongside new show VOGUE: Inventing the Runway.