See Inside U2’s Interactive ‘Zoo Station’ Las Vegas Exhibit
To celebrate U2's concert residency at Las Vegas' groundbreaking new venue the Sphere, the band has launched Zoo Station: A U2:UV Experience, an exhibit that allows fans to interact with iconic elements from their Achtung Baby era.
You can see exclusive photos of the exhibit below.
Working closely with U2 creative director Gavin Friday, Live Nation's curated destination experiences company Vibee took over a former Barney's department store and made it look like the Berlin Zoologischer Garten train station, whose nickname inspired Achtung Baby's opening song "Zoo Station."
Two Trabant cars made famous on the band's Zoo TV tour, are among the centerpieces of the exhibit. You can step inside one and flip various switches and pedals to hear U2 songs. If you're lucky enough to hit the right combination, the inside of the tiny car will turn into a brightly lit disco. The other Trabant is a custom-built replica that allows fans to create digital graffiti on the car using special paint cans.
During the press tour, Vibee President Harvey Cohen explained that the company had been working with U2 on the Zoo Station exhibit for more than a year. "It's actually amazing, that after this many years, the band still has an absolute touch point to every detail that is involved in their projects," he said. "Every detail is meticulous with that band. So it's involved and challenging for sure, but it's also amazing to have a band that cares that much, that are able to go through those details with us, as opposed to having them say, 'Yeah, just put something up for us.'"
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The Zoo Station exhibit also features a replica of the Zoo TV stage where fans can play instruments, see a collection of Anton Corbijn photos and step inside a photo booth. Cocktails are served at the Fly Bar, which is open exclusively to VIP package members before each concert and to the public at other times. An intimate movie theater, Zoo TV Cinema, hosts five movie screenings each day that feature U2 concert footage.
How to Visit U2's Zoo Station Exhibit
Zoo Station: A U2:UV Experience is located at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. The exhibit also features a pop-up shop that includes exclusive merchandise not available online or at the Sphere shows. You can get more information about Vibee's U2:UV concert and hotel experience packages at their website.