The Eden Project, a leading environmental education charity, celebrated its 25th anniversary on 17 March with a 300-voice choir performance from 16 community groups across Cornwall. The event featured a specially written song and concluded with "Cornwall My Home," performed by its original writer, Harry Glasson. The celebrations also included a five-tier cake, cut by co-founder Sir Tim Smit and CEO Andy Jasper.
The Eden Project has welcomed over 25 million visitors and generated £6.8 billion in economic impact for the South West since its opening in 2001. It has also created around 700 jobs annually and enabled over one million schoolchildren to engage in nature-based learning. Sir Tim Smit remarked, “Eden has always been a people story... What you see here today is the power of collective imagination, made real.”
The anniversary coincides with English Tourism Week, highlighting the industry's £127 billion contribution to the UK economy. The event also paid tribute to Sir Ronnie Hampel and Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, pivotal figures in Eden's creation.
Eden's legacy includes its world-famous Biomes and the Core building, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. The project continues to innovate with international efforts, including projects in China and Costa Rica. Andy Jasper noted, “Eden exists to show how powerful environmental storytelling can inspire real change.”
Looking forward, Eden plans to introduce new experiences in 2026, including a Japanese tree exhibit and the Giant Marble Runs installation. The project remains committed to nature-based wellbeing initiatives and expanding its educational reach
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