Excitement is building ahead of an out of this world spectacle which will wow audiences.

Luke Jerram’s internationally acclaimed Museum of the Moon sculpture is making its way to Dorset for the first time as part of Dorset Moon, an exciting new arts event for the summer.

It comes as the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing is marked.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, the sculpture, which includes lunar visuals and surround sound, is a huge glowing orb that features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface.

At a scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the sculpture accurately represents 5km of the moon’s surface.

It will land at Sherborne Abbey on July 5-7, Nothe Fort in Weymouth on July 12-14 and then can be seen at Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on July 19 as part of huge outdoor musical performance called 'Apollo - One Giant Leap', which will celebrate 50 years since the Apollo 11 landing.

Museum of the Moon is supported by a rolling programme of activities curated by Inside Out Dorset, Arts by the Sea and b-side festivals.

It has visited all four corners of the globe, featuring at events in Beijing, Dubai and New York, and now Dorset residents will get a chance to see this stunning exhibition.

Luke Jerram, the artist behind the work, said he wanted to bring his masterpiece to Dorset because of the outstanding settings available for the moon to be displayed in.

He said: "Festival organisers and I felt the locations were iconic, whilst practically also providing a degree of protection from the wind.

"Depending on where the artwork is presented, the meaning and interpretation of the Museum of the Moon, will shift. The interpretation of the Moon will be completely different if it is presented in a cathedral, warehouse, science museum or arts centre.

"Whether the artwork is exhibited in China, USA, India or Europe the cultural context and audience, also effects the public’s interpretation. Every culture has its own relationship to the Moon which varies from one country to another.

"Each venue and host has the opportunity to curate their own moon-inspired events which reflect their local culture and creativity."

Steve Booth from the Nothe Fort said: "We are delighted to be chosen as one of the venues in Dorset. We think this will be an excellent draw to our prestigious historic attraction offering the visitor a very different experience. This is likely to bring many people who otherwise may never visit the Fort and hopefully spread the word on all that we do."

For more details on Dorset Moon visit dorsetmoon.com