A DOCTOR Who exhibition is opening at the Museum of Somerset from Saturday, June 15 to October 5.
The exhibition, Adventures in Time and Space – 60 Years of Doctor Who Art, will take visitors on a nostalgia-filled ride. Its opening coincides with the latest BBC series featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the fifteenth Doctor.
The exhibition is the largest collection of original and digital Doctor Who art ever shown in one location. Alongside the iconic art on display, there will be children’s activities every week of the summer holiday, each exploring a different theme, from space and monsters to dinosaurs and robots.
Death to the Daleks by Royston Knipe. (Image: Royston Knipe, Museum of Somerset)
Visitors to the exhibition will be greeted by pictures of many familiar faces – from the stern charm of William Hartnell to the iconic scarf-swirling of Tom Baker, the heroic action of David Tennant, the ground-breaking brilliance of Jodie Whittaker, and the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. It wouldn't be Doctor Who without the Doctor’s most infamous villains including the Daleks, Cybermen, and a whole host of aliens, nasties and strange creatures.
John McLay the exhibition curator from Events of Wonder said: “The exhibition draws on iconic art from all eras of the show’s history.
"There are displays of several book covers, a range of 1990s VHS video art, spreads from annuals, comics and graphic novels, and a multitude of collectable Doctor Who merchandise that is nowadays rarely seen.”
Mancopolis, 2024 by Lee Sullivan. (Image: Lee Sullivan.)
The exhibition has been made possible thanks to private art collectors, artists and Doctor Who fans who have generously opened up their collections for the exhibition.
Exhibitions Manager Sarah Cox added: “Dr Who is the longest-running Sci-Fi television programme known to humanity. From Doctor Who’s classic era that began in 1963 to the modern reboot, this exhibition is a heartwarming journey for lovers of imaginative art and adventurers of all generations.”
The exhibition launches on Saturday 15 June with visitors invited to get dressed up in their best Sci-Fi costume and grab a selfie with the visiting Daleks. Featured artist Lee Sullivan will be at the Museum answering questions and signing books and merchandise.
Usual Suspects © Lee Sullivan. (Image: Lee Sullivan.)
On the first Saturday of July, September and October, the Museum will be taken over by science fiction fans. ‘Sci-Fi Saturdays’ are a chance for sci-fi fans of all generations to meet, chat and share. There will be activities, a chance to meet some of the exhibiting artists along with characters from literature, TV and film.
Activities taking place during the August summer holiday include a visit from the Science Dome where children can take an immersive journey through the planets. There will also be a visit from Vlad the Velociraptor, a 16-foot-long, fully animatronic dinosaur who will be snapping and roaring at Museum visitors.
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