London’s Natural History Museum has teamed up with Atlantic Productions and Samsung to bring a world-first virtual reality experience to the UK institution.

Using the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition virtual reality headset – powered by the Galaxy S6 smartphone – David Attenborough’s First Life is a fully immersive experience which brings to life the dawn of living creatures on Earth from 540 million years ago.

Created by television company Atlantic Studios’ virtual reality production team, Alchemy VR, the 15-minute experience is based on the museum’s research and sends visitors on a dive through ancient waters, with commentary from Sir David Attenborough. During the immersive experience, visitors will see long-extinct animals such as the Opabinia, Anomalocaris and the spiny, worm-like Hallucigenia.

“We’re always looking for new ways to challenge the way people think about the natural world – its past, present and future,” said Sir Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum. “We know virtual reality technology can transport us to impossible places. This is a compelling example of how technology can revolutionise how we experience museums.”