ArcelorMittal Orbit

What is the ArcelorMittal Orbit?

Anish Kapoor’s red lattice tower will take you on a journey 80m high in the sky with a distinctive panorama of London! The Stratford slide steel sculpture was a public art project that has become an iconic visitor attraction since the 2012 Olympic Village! Soon after tower slide plans were unveiled and The Orbit Slide was created by Anish Kapoor and Carsten Höller in the Summer of 2016. You can find this giant sculpture in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The Olympic Park Orbit has two observation decks, a 455-step spiral staircase, a lift and a restaurant. At ground level, visitors are greeted by a massive steel horn which hangs overhead. The uppermost observation floor is flanked by two concave mirrors which disorientate the visitor before they get to see the skyline beyond. Pretty cool, right?

The structure of the Olympic tower is made out of recycled steel using steel panels, a steel cone, octagonal steel rings and of course, the steel slide. Families love to visit this attraction for the fun factor and for the breathtaking views which can be seen from the indoor viewing platforms. Take a few cheeky snaps of its unique coiling structure after all, it's basically a piece of massive artwork for the public!

Things To Do

Now you know about the what & where to find this iconic British building, let's jump into all the fun activities and things to do there...

Be bowled over by amazing views and the famous skyline of London, while squeezing in a few rounds of eye spy with landmarks like the Gherkin, Big Ben, Canary Wharf, Wembley Stadium and The Shard. You can enjoy 20-mile-wide views of London!

Footy fans can even spot some of London’s famous football grounds, including West Ham Utd. Take your time at the top of the Stratford Slide - you’ll have a chance to learn more about the tower with interactive storytelling screens and of course, don’t forget to flip the world upside down by taking a peek in one of the concave mirrors. The observation platforms are a popular attraction with families especially.

Now for the main event! They’ve managed to pack a whole lot into a 40-second trip with loops circling the iconic structure 12 times, before whizzing you right back down to the ground on a 50m straight drop. Curious about how fast you'll go? The answer to your question is 15 miles per hour! Everyone over 1.3m tall and 8 years old can ride the slide and it’s certainly more thrilling than the stairs!

Why go inside the ArcelorMittal Orbit when you can scale the outside of it? Brave the highest of heights in the freefall abseil activity. Experience the most spectacular views of London, whilst dangling in free space, 80 metres above the ground!

Whack your abseiling kit on and be guided down by instructors. Using the safest rigging system conceivable, you will be coaxed over the edge and on your way to a truly breathtaking experience. JUST MAKE SURE YOU SAVOUR EVERY MOMENT!

It's not every day you scale one of the tallest sculptures in London! Weave past the tight corkscrews and wave to visitors on the stairs as you descend - adrenaline junkies will love this one.

Food & Drink

There are A LOT of food options at this orbit tower. Check out The Last Drop! You can enjoy a selection of fresh cakes, pastries, light lunches and snacks! If you take a stroll North of the Olympic park you'll discover the Timber Lodge Cafe!

Located next to the Tumbling Bay Playground, parents can relax with a bite to eat while watching their little ones swing from pillar to post in the state-of-the-art adventure playground. This cafe is also eco-friendly!

Canalside Restaurants

You can find this area a short walk away from the North of the park. Promenade down the beautiful stretch of canals and pick from a street full of restaurants and cafes. Families love this area because it is an extremely vibrant and social part of London! 

East Village

Situated in the Athlete’s Village from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this area is perfectly visible from the ArcelorMittal Orbit. You can enjoy yummy food, coffee, gelato and brunches! Head to the Darkhorse, Firezza, Fish House and Ginger and Mint, or maybe La Gelatiera!

You can also grab a bite to eat in the International Quarter London, Westfield Stratford City, Hackney Bridge and Hackney Wick and Fish Island.

Accessibility

Park Mobility is a service made available for visitors to the Park with mobility and/or visual impairment.

With Park Mobility you can:

- Hire mobility scooters and manual wheelchairs

- Take advantage of the wheelchair-accessible mobility ‘golf’ buggy

- Enjoy the Park with a sighted guide.

Park Mobility is based at the Information Point in the south of the Park (opposite the London Aquatics Centre on the bridge next to Westfield Stratford City) and runs daily between 10am – 3pm daily. Please note that the golf buggy service is dependent on volunteer availability.

- Ride the world’s highest and longest tunnel slide

- Take in panoramic views of London

- Explore the iconic ArcelorMittal Orbit