In the present work, abundant group-invariant solutions of ( $$2+1$$ )-dimensional Bogoyavlenskii–Schieff equation have been investigated using Lie symmetry analysis. The Lie infinitesimal generators, all the geometric vector fields, their commutative and adjoint relations are provided by utilising the Lie symmetry method. The Lie symmetry method depends on the invariance criteria of Lie groups, which results in the reduction of independent variables by one. A repeated process of Lie symmetry reductions, using the double, triple and septuple combinations between the considered vectors, converts the Bogoyavlenskii–Schieff (BS) equation into nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) which furnish numerous explicit exact solutions with the help of computerised symbolic computation. The obtained group-invariant solutions are entirely new and distinct from the earlier established findings. As far as possible, a comparison of our reported results with the previous findings is given. The dynamical behaviour of solutions is discussed both analytically as well as graphically via their evolutionary wave profiles by considering suitable choices of arbitrary constants and functions. To ensure rich physical structures, the exact closed-form solutions are supplemented via numerical simulation, which produce some bright solitons, doubly solitons, parabolic waves, U-shaped solitons and asymptotic nature.