Looking for something to do in Montreal in September? We tested out the Black Mirror Experience™!

A few days ago, some members of our team got to try out the Black Mirror Experience™, an immersive, virtual reality activity you can do in the Old Port of Montreal until September 27, 2026. Read on to find out what it’s like and what we thought of it (and if you’re really curious, check out the video preview at the end).

An immersive experience inspired by the Black Mirror television series

No surprises here: the Black Mirror™ Experience is inspired by… the world of Black Mirror! If you’re not familiar with it, this show is a speculative fiction series released in 2011 and streaming on Netflix. It explores the potential consequences of new technologies on our lives. And that’s exactly what this activity has in store for you: a chance to experience the twists and turns the series is known for – as if you were in it!

(Good to know—you don’t actually need to have watched Black Mirror at all to enjoy this experience. In our case, it actually added an element of surprise, since we didn’t know what to expect!)

And speaking of which, what can you expect from the experience? 

You can decide, just like we did, to dive straight in without knowing anything about it first and discover it all for yourself without any spoilers! If you’re already a fan of virtual reality experiences, trust us—this one is definitely worth checking out! It even earned a special mention from the jury of the 2026 Immersive Competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival!

But if you want to know a little more about what’s in store before you go, we can tell you that you’ll get to immerse yourself in a world where artificial intelligence is part of everyday life and where you can get one of the most advanced AI companions—called a LifeAgent—to make your life easier. Not too far from today’s reality, is it? And that’s exactly what makes the experience realistic (and all the more unsettling!)

How does the Black Mirror Experience™ work?

When you arrive, you can store your personal belongings in a locker provided for you so you’ll have your hands free while you explore this new virtual world. And if this is your first VR experience, you can even try on a headset to get used to it before you start. Then, the experience begins.

After a short explanatory video, you enter the first room: the showroom of tech giant Phaeton Labs. Between the demo models and the company’s history—which you can read about as you explore the brightly lit, minimalist room—the line between reality and fiction is already starting to blur. Because with all of the recent technological advances happening in today’s world, you’ll probably be wondering whether Phaeton actually exists or not (or if it could exist in the not-too-distant future).

Next, head to the lab. This is where you start customizing your very own LifeAgent. You provide some information, get your picture taken and talk about some of the things you want out of life. All of this is to ensure that your AI is as helpful and personalized as possible.

Once that’s done, you put on the VR headset and move on to the testing phase. That’s when the experience really comes to life. We won’t give too much away about this part, because the whole point of the experience is living it yourself. And the most interesting part is that your experience will change depending on the decisions you make. So even if you go with other people, no one will have exactly the same experience.

Our verdict: an incredible immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression

The whole experience lasts about 50 minutes, but it goes by in a flash. It starts off casually at first, as you get to know your AI companion, but then the action quickly picks up, and you discover that things aren’t quite as peachy as they might seem!

Not only is the immersive aspect really well done, but it also sparks a lot of discussion—both about the different experiences people in our group had and about the role of artificial intelligence in the present and the future.

And you’ll even leave with a little souvenir of your experience!

🎟️ If you want to try the experience, tickets are available for a few more weeks!

Quick facts

• For participants ages 12 and older

• No prior virtual reality experience or knowledge of the Black Mirror series is needed

• Offered in English, French and Spanish

• The experience is accessible to people who use wheelchairs, both manual and motorized. Specific time slots are set aside for people with limited mobility to ensure a less crowded environment. Walking canes are also available for those who want additional stability during the experience.

Note: Although the tickets for this experience were provided to us for free by Infinity Experiences, the opinions expressed in this article are those of the Quebec Getaways team.