The Deeper Presence of Location-Anchored Experiences

Location-Anchored Experiences are deeply rooted in history and culture.
Illustration © 2026 AdventureLAB

As our world becomes increasingly digital, with more questionable and fake content, people crave experiences rooted in reality that foster a sense of belonging. With fact and fiction often mixed, audiences want more than just entertainment. They want authenticity. Over 60% of global travellers now prioritise “cultural discovery” as the primary motive for their trips, and 82% of Millennials and Gen Z look for one-of-a-kind, authentic goods that tell a story, compared to 68% of older generations.

This shift has highlighted a key evolution in spatial design: Location-Based Entertainment – or the LBE – giving way to a phenomenon we can fittingly name the Location-Anchored Experience, or the LAE. However, merely stating that one is typically a theme park and the other is generally a cultural heritage site hardly captures the nuances of this terminology.

Where Location-Based Entertainment occurs in a particular place, a Location-Anchored Experience is genuinely connected to that site. It is not artificial or created in a vacuum. Instead, it draws on the history, culture, and timelines of the location. This gives the place a deeper presence, making it feel alive because of what already exists there.

Where Location-Based Entertainment occurs in a particular place, a Location-Anchored Experience is genuinely connected to that site.

Transforming Space into Authentic Place

An LAE is effective because it draws on the connections already present in a place. A space becomes meaningful when we recognise its value. Rather than creating a story, this method uncovers the story that is already part of its history.

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled the translation of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, opening up centuries of history, meaning, and value.
Photo © Klaus Sommer Paulsen

This process often works like reverse engineering. Storytellers and designers study a site, whether it contains an old ruin, a historic bakery, is a place in prehistory, or – closer to our own time – a decades-old attraction, and ask what story is already there, where it originated, and why. By using these existing stories, we can move audiences not just physical steps, but also take immense leaps through time in their minds and emotions. This approach lets us build experiences on stories that have lasted for centuries, not just reciting the events.

The Layers of Immersion and Meaning

Real immersion is more than using advanced visuals, audio, or staging to surround the audience. It is about helping people feel connected to events and empathise with those who were in the same place long ago. This kind of experience connects people across time and space. To do this, an LAE uses clues and details from the location’s history.

Sensory markers give us details like the smell of a street after rain, the sound of wind through specific stones, or the scent of a historic bakery. Semiotic clues are the words and symbols from the place’s past. These help the audience find more profound meaning and understand the spirit of the location. All these tools help ensure the experience is grounded in real history while allowing for creative interpretation. What symbolises the wins or the losses that shaped a place and the lands around it?

When these elements come together, the experience lets people escape while staying connected to reality. History and story blend so well that the audience’s imagination is fully engaged. Still, when working with historical sites, designers need to give clear signals when the story shifts between real history and creative fiction to maintain the audience’s trust, a concern not just for museum professionals. Any brand that loses trust will be left behind by its advocates.

Strategic Grounding through Deep Research

A great LAE design does not happen by chance. The process starts before the story is told – or discovered and retold. While storytelling matters, having a clear purpose for why this story is essential makes sure it is meaningful and lasting.

Before writing any script, creators must do thorough research. This means reading, watching, and listening to learn how a place has affected people over time. Designers should ask: why can this only exist here? They might look at how the space shaped its area or influenced later generations. If the experience could be moved anywhere, it would not be truly anchored.

Designers should ask: why can this only exist here?

The Evolution of Modern Landmarks

We may think of these experiences as tied to cultural heritage, but they also apply across sectors, such as retail and modern attractions. Authenticity is not just for ancient places. Over time, a well-designed experience becomes part of local culture. Many places develop their own stories, and after decades, they become landmarks because people keep coming back – and bringing friends, family, and new generations with them to initiate them into the shared value and meaning of a particular place. Their own experiences become the shared narrative of their group.

Enchanted Kingdom is rooted in Filipino culture, and after 30 years, the theme park has become part of it.
Photo © Enchanted Kingdom

When you work thoughtfully with Location-Anchored Experiences, you do more than build an attraction. You join the ongoing story of the place. The theme comes from the site’s own history, not just something added on top. This makes the experience meaningful and purposeful. By respecting its roots and impact, you become part of its legacy and even a guardian of that legacy for future generations.

When you work thoughtfully with Location-Anchored Experiences, you do more than build an attraction. You join the ongoing story of the place.

Considerations when working with Location Anchored Experiences (LAEs)

• Prioritise the Why Here:
Make sure the story is so closely tied to the place that moving it would take away its principal value.
• Dive into Deep Theming: Go deeper than looks. Let the history and spirit of the place guide every design choice, adding meaning to anything or anyone who has existed within it and continues to enrich it.
• Balance Fact and Fiction:
When you mix real history with creative storytelling, give the audience clear signs of what they are presented with. This helps them trust you and follow the story.
• Embrace Sensory Authenticity:
Use sensory details based on research to help people feel a real connection to the past and understand those who were there before.
• Research as a Creative Act: Take your time before jumping to ideas. Listen to the location’s history and how it has shaped its surroundings before you start creating.
• Focus on Transformation:
Try to do more than offer a visit. Think about how you want people’s views to change and how they should feel about the place when they leave.