Doctor Who Exhibition Blackpool
The Doctor Who Exhibition Blackpool was located at 111 Central Promenade, on the busy Golden Mile, a prime location for visitors. It ran for 11 years until the lease on the building it resided in expired.
It briefly reopened in 2004 to coincide with Series 1, and was steadily updated up until it's closure in November 2009. [1]
Inside the Tardis
The Doctor Who Exhibition at Blackpool, was first opened by Jon Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen on 14 April 1974. From the outside, the huge crowds that gathered that day, could see only a blue police telephone box, next to a building, but once the doors were opened they found themselves descending a flight of stairs into a basement exhibition full of the most exciting monsters, aliens, props, costumes and models from the series.[source needed]
These originally included a Draconian, Silurian, Axon, Yeti, Cybermen, Alpha Centauri, Aggedor and several Eight Legs. The most popular exhibits were the Daleks in their Dalek cavern, originally displayed in their original form, and later with their creator Davros. In time, K9, Ice Warriors, Sontarans, Morbius, the Keeler-Krynoid, the Total Survival Suit from Kinda and many more joined the always thrilling displays.[source needed]
Visitors walked around a winding corridor with exhibits to either side, most that were changed annually, others that would become old favourites. Eventually they would arrive in the TARDIS console room, where pictures of the Doctors looked down on a console that had "working" switches with flashing lights, a feature that also surrounded the main Dalek exhibits, which moved on a track as they yelled out words of extermination. The exhibition was left via a gift shop and a café. The Doctor Who Exhibition closed after the 1985 season, and was gutted out in early 1986.[source needed]
Notable elements
- Displays were regularly updated with new exhibits as new stories were aired.
- Unlike the Longleat Exhibition, the Blackpool Exhibition also included a display of small scale models of landscapes and spacecrafts. Davros, Daleks, Cybermen and K9 were among regular exhibits.
Promotion
- The Blackpool Exhibition was promoted in continuity announcements at the time, following the programme's broadcasts.
- In 1975, Elizabeth Sladen, Ian Marter and Tom Baker promoted the exhibition with a parade led by Baker in the back of Bessie with the Mayoress and a UNIT driver. The parade also included a Zygon, Bellal, Sontaran, Sea Devil and Cyberman, and led to the switching on of Blackpool's illuminations.
- In 1976, Tom Baker especially filmed a small skit for the exhibition as the Fourth Doctor.
- In 1985, Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant were present signing autographs in the console area for Children in Need.
Notes
to be added
Gallery
Exhibition posters
April 1974 Exhibition Ticket and Badge
Entrance October 1975
Exhibition layout 1975
Entrance 1982
Davros prop inside exhibition 1982
Dalek prop inside exhibition 1982
1984 Blackpool Illuminations
External links
- Blackpool Remembered - a comprehensive reference work about the Exhibition
