Just like the TARDIS! (Doctor Who Museum)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	Doctor Who Museum
Date:	04/09/08 (150 review reads)
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For many years now, I've been such a great fan of C21 Doctor Who, and would give all I've got to meet the cast or star in an episode. Unfortunately, I'm not about to tell you I've been granted that privilege. Actually, I've yet to come close! Though at the weekend, I was indeed fortunate enough to go down to Blackpool and see the Doctor Who Exhibition.

I left from Newcastle to go down to Blackpool just after seven o' clock in the morning. Although it was quite an early time, and I knew I had a long journey ahead of me. Though, I was too excited to care. By the time we did arrive in Blackpool some three hours later, the wind was howling and the weather was drear. Though, did I care? No! That smile never left my face, not even when we were battling our way along the front. To spot the Doctor Who Exhibition, the easiest way is to look for the Blackpool Tower, as it's just down a little from it. Though when you get closer, up in the air next to the illuminations you will see several Doctor Who signs and pictures attached to wire next to the museum's bright blue front. Wedged in between Fun Land and Sea Life, this Exhibition looked quite small from the outside.

When you first walk in, you seem to be walking into a gift shop, which I though was most peculiar! At the right you will see a little booth for paying. For my step dad and I, we totalled £12, which I thought was very reasonable (especially since I was paying!). The man in the booth told us that this was an official BBC museum and everything we saw were not replicas, but actual props and pieces from the shop. This made my smile broaden like a Cheshire Cat's right across my face (what a sight I must have looked!).

We set off through the door where first see a sitting room with an old fashioned television modelled from The Idiot's Lantern in C21 Series 2. This, being the first thing I saw, gave me great hope for the rest of the Exhibition. After you've carried along a darkened corridor with a few pictures on the wall of various creatures, you come to a 'room' which looks like a grey version of the inside of the Tardis, the large console in the centre. As you follow the guided route, all you seem to hear are Cybermen, and surprise, surprise, after you've seen the Wall of Doctors, you come to a display of C20 Cybermen. I thought they looked amazing, though they would have been more terrifying if they were the newer models!

After this section, you come to an opening with a sign that says no video or photography is allowed. Though a member of the staff there walked by at this moment and said no videos were allowed but we could take photos if we wish. I'd emailed in prior to our trip asking about photography and I was told it was allowed for personal use, so I did get a little bit confused here! Carrying on, you follow through more darkened corridors where you will see many creatures behind glass (don't worry - you press little buttons to activate light so you can see them properly!). My favourite in this section was most certainly the K9 model!

After you come out of this section, you enter a room which has several statues quite high up, but still easy to see. With a large picture of Rose (Billie Piper) and the 9th Doctor (Chris Eccleston) on the wall, it was clear this was the section for the new series. A few of my favourite statues included Novice Hame (Series 3 - Gridlock), the Scarecrow (Series 3 - Family of Blood, Human Nature) and Slitheen (Series 1 - various episodes). There was also one of a pink jumper which Rose was supposed to have worn, though I have my doubts (looks like I will have to watch 26 episodes to find out...not a problem!).

After this section, you come out to see Tom Baker's yellow car. This was not behind glass, which made me think again whether or not it was genuine. Either way though, it was still fantastic. You follow many more darkened corridors and see plenty of C20 creatures, but unfortunately no more modern Doctor Who 'bits'.

Nonetheless, it's still fascinating. You then come back out into the Tardis console, and exit through to the gift shop where you first entered. This place is amazing, and I'm just pleased there was not a bank machine nearby or I could have spent all my savings! I bought various basic Doctor Who items such as figures, books and stationary, though I did also buy a pen which had 'Doctor Who Blackpool Museum' printed on it. I also paid fifty pence and inserted a 1p coin into this machine, which was then pressed and flattened, then a Tardis printed on top of it. I thought this was an amazing novelty souvenir!

This was a fascinating Exhibition, definitely the best I have seen! Though I do only wish there were a few more C21 creatures and parts I could relate to.

The Doctor Who Exhibition is open from half ten until five o' clock every day. As I have said, it is not hard to spot once you are in Blackpool (even if it does smaller on the outside than the inside, just like the Tardis!), as you can see the Tower quite easily. Though if you are driving you may need to park a little away from the Museum itself and walk to it for around five minutes. Other than that, it's simple to get to. The staff are incredibly friendly too. This is such an amazing experience and well worth every penny!

© Amy 2008

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