Powerful travelling Nova exhibition to open in east London on 20 May

The Nova Festival Exhibition is coming to east London for six weeks from 20 May, as part of an international tour to tell the story of the 413 people massacred and 44 taken hostage from the site on 7 October 2023.

A successful community campaign in March fundraised to bring the recreation of the festival site to the UK. The exhibition was initially shown in Tel Aviv in 2024, followed by visits to cities including New York, Toronto, Berlin and Buenos Aires, drawing more than 600,000 visitors in total.

Titled “06:29AM – The Moment Music Stood Still”, the exhibition features the actual staging, burnt out vehicles and thousands of personal items discarded in the chaos of the attacks. It includes first-hand witness phone footage from the day, bullet-riddled structures and porta-loos, in-person testimonies from survivors, returned hostages, and bereaved families, who will be present at the exhibition every day.

It sheds light on the lives of revellers from countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, United States, Israel, Philippines, and Mexico, forever changed in that moment – at 06:29AM.

Londoners, Lisa and Michael Marlowe, whose son, 26-year old son Jake was murdered at the festival, said: “Bringing this exhibition to London feels like our boy is coming home for six weeks. He was our shining star. On that day, he could have run, but he chose to stay and try to save as many lives as possible. That sums up who our boy was.”

Ofir Amir, co-founder and producer of The Nova Music Festival, said: “We hope the British public will engage with this exhibition, especially given the UK’s strong music festivals culture.  The Nova community is centred around light, and we must continue to share the message that We Will Dance Again without fear. This exhibition is about caring for our community, supporting healing, and educating the world on the events that occurred on that day.”

Omri Sassi, co-founder and producer of The Nova Music Festival, said: “The story of The Nova Music Festival is one of strength, resilience and community.  It was so important for us to bring the next leg of the exhibition’s tour to the UK, so as many people as possible can experience it and remember the innocent festivalgoers who came together to dance and celebrate music, because this could happen in any music festival around the world.”

Reut Feingold, curator and director of the exhibition, described how “a visit to the exhibition is a raw and moving journey, one that touches the most fragile moments of humanity alongside those in which the human spirit reveals itself in its full force. It is a living testament to the power of love, brotherhood, and community – values that transcend borders and cultures, and are tested each day anew.

“I invite you to come – to smell, to touch, and to listen to the voices, the eerie silences, and the sounds that will continue to echo in your hearts long after your visit.”

Jo Woolfe, head of The Nova Exhibition London, who has led the campaign to bring it to the capital, said: “I visited The Nova Exhibition in Toronto and was so incredibly moved – that was my own ’06:29AM moment’.   It could have been my own kids. I just knew I had to find a way to bring the exhibition here, so I’m so proud and excited that it’s finally coming to my hometown – London.

“This is not just another stop on the tour, this is London – a city as madly vibrant and diverse as the beautiful, multi-country, multi-ethnic Nova community that danced together. We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country, of all ages, religions and backgrounds, from students and music lovers, to community leaders and politicians. Everyone is invited to experience it for themselves “

Sara Dein, co-chair of The Nova Exhibition London, added: “We invite everyone to take a moment to come and share this story of community, love, loss, courage and healing. Whatever our differences, these are universal themes that unite us.

“Live music should always be a place of safety, unity, and freedom for all. Our aim is to educate, to unite communities, and to create space for honest dialogue, ensuring these human stories are not only heard, but deeply understood and remembered.”

Whilst the location has not yet been revealed for security reasons, tickets (from £18) to visit the exhibition can be purchased from novaexhibition.com. Net proceeds from the exhibition will support festival survivors and bereaved families through The Tribe of Nova Foundation.

• Visitors should allow approximately 60-90 minutes to experience the exhibition, whose opening hours are: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00am – 8:00pm (last entry 6:40pm)l Friday: 10:00am – 5:00pm (last entry 3:40pm); Monday: Closed (except Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May)