Liverpool to host world premiere of Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder exhibition

Science Fiction will collide with science fact at Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder, a new exhibition to premiere at the National Museums Liverpool, from May 2022.

The attraction, which will feature artefacts from the BBC archive, will explore the science behind the long running BBC series, and offer a chance to experience the Doctor’s adventures from a scientific perspective.

Visitors can discover more about the theories behind time travel, visit the Police Box in the TARDIS Tech room, get hands on with Cosmic Curiosities and hide behind the sofa in the Monster Vault, home of the Time Lord’s adversaries. No word yet on areas dedicated to the Sonic Screwdriver or K9, or a workshop on how to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow, but we’ve got our fingers crossed.

Visitors can discover more about the science behind time travel, visit the Police Box in the TARDIS Tech room, and hide behind the sofa in the Monster Vault…

Doctor Who claims a strong connection with Liverpool. Earlier this year, John Bishop joined an impressive list of Liverpool-born actors to appear on the show. The fourth Doctor, Jelly Baby-chomping Tom Baker, grew up on Scotland Road, assisted by Liverpool actress Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. Paul McGann played the eighth Doctor in a one-off TV film in 1996, later reprising his role in a short film for the BBC Studios series’ 50th anniversary in 2013. In 2008, Kensington-born David Morrissey played The Next Doctor in a Christmas special alongside David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor.

National Museums Liverpool was involved in quest to #FindTheDoctor over the summer. Following a hidden word in the Doctor Who trailer in July, fans were sent on a hunt to find clues which would lead to the password for a locked Doctor Who website. One of the clues was spotted in a curious painting, La Boîte Bleue (The Blue Box), at the Walker Art Gallery and Museum of Liverpool.

Produced by experiential design experts Sarner International under license from BBC Studios, this new exhibition will draw in content from across the full canon of the TV show.

Fiona Philpott, Director of Exhibitions at National Museums Liverpool, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming the world premiere of Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder to World Museum. We’re so lucky to be the first museum in the world to host this must-see experience, which offers exclusive insight for Doctor Who buffs, science fiction fans and anybody else with a curious mind.”

Ed Cookson, Projects Director, Sarner International, added: “For almost 60 years Doctor Who has been exploring mind-bending scientific developments. The iconic characters, monsters, stories, and settings of the television series provide a perfect guide through the wondrous worlds of space, time and science.”

Tickets are on sale now, from liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.