Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Doctor Who Exhibition!

Let’s set the Tardis for May 2009, Cardiff. Hit the Master Dematerialization Switch. VWORP!  VWORP! As we travel through the Vortex, I have to reflect a bit, my Doctor is the Tom Baker Fourth Doctor. Doctor Who was transmitted on public television so it was a bit of a struggle, but I was a Whovian before I was a Trekkie, Trekker, Trekster, whatever the term. It was strange to go to Comic Con and seeing Russell T. Davies for the signing of Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale (2008).

The year had a gathering of Whovians in a large room. The next year, which was the last year for David Tennant, it was Hall H, which I think I was in the very back of Hall H. May, this was when the Specials were wrapping up David Tennant’s run as the Tenth Doctor.  I took a trip around the UK with a tour. Checked out Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury in London, rows and rows of Doctor Who merch. There were a few Doctor Who exhibitions around the UK, including one in Coventry, but the tour did not linger there long enough to check it out. 

The interesting part was seeing a blue police box in the middle of Glasgow, no Doctor Who promotion, it was just sitting there.  So, taking the ferry from Ireland, the tour reached Cardiff, and the objective for me was the Doctor Who Experience.  I took a taxi cab there to a mall.  It looks like the exhibition has a new, separate building now (in Discovery Quay), but at the time it was in a mall.  

I believe this was the Red Dragon Centre. Malls in the UK look like malls in America. I opened the door, walked around a circular wall, and there it was, Doctor Who Experience. Admission now is 16 pounds with a 37.50 merchandise pack that has a t-shirt and wristband. There is also a walking tour available. New is the Interactive Experience that stars Peter Capaldi, the Twelfth Doctor, which then leads to the Exhibition Hall.  

Daleks!, "Exterminate!" ,photo by the author. 

In 2010, there were four costumes; Rose Tyler’s sweater, shirt, and jeans, the Ninth Doctor’s black leather outfit, the Tenth Doctor’s purple bathrobe and pajamas, and finally Martha Smith’s red leather jacket, pink shirt with floral patterns, and jeans. Next to the costumes was a Tardis photo op with green screen background. There are two rooms, one had a Sontaran suit with a photo background and some props.  

Then, there were displays from the “Fires of Pompeii” (2008) with two red robed women of the Sisterhood, one covering her eyes with eyes tattooed on her hands. Next were two purple dresses of Roman woman, Metella, and Donna Noble. Finally, the Clockwork Man from ”The Girl in the Fireplace” (2006). The opposite side is another room with two of the Cybermen standing on a platform. A maid outfit of Rose Tyler is behind Lumic’s wheelchair. The first Cyberman will threaten you raising its arms, eyes flash, as it repeats, “Delete!”  

Next to the Cybermen is Dalek Sec, the Human-Dalek hybrid in a black suit. Then, there is Tallula’s dress also from “The Daleks in Manhattan” (2007) episode. The other side ends with the Dalek room, this was a complete set recreating a Dalek ship. The cyborg pepper pots appeared 26 years before the Star Trek's Borg. There is the red Supreme Dalek, a gold Dalek, and your basic black Dalek. It’s a show that activates every ten minutes or so.  

The Supreme Dalek says, “We have waited long for this ultimate destiny. Now, the Daleks are the masters of Earth!” Dalek whirl and each speaks in the mechanized voice. One Dalek says, “All hail the Daleks!” Then, lasers streak from their gunsticks, I was taking video and I can almost swear that I felt a laser streak through my hair, it ends with the Emperor muttering, “You are all the playthings of Davros now.” Star Tours is good experience, but this actually puts you in the world, you are not just sitting there, smoke, lasers, and lights flash around the darkness.   

Faithful K-9, photo by the author. 

The last part is suits of two Ood with Donna’s coat, shirt, and jeans. The final room is centered around the machine from “The Lazarus Experiment” (2007). The other displays are placed around the circle of the machine. The costumes of “The Next Doctor” (2008) are on the opposite side of the machine with the Next Doctor’s suit (David Morrissey four years before he became the Governor) and Miss Hartigan’s red dress. Astrid Peth’s maid outfit (Kylie Minogue) and the angelic Host costume for the “Voyage of the Damned” (2007) episode.  

The robotic costumes of Anne Droid and Trinn-E are displayed from “The Parting of the Ways” (2005). There is Captain Jack’s coat and hat from his Doctor Who appearances. At his side is a battered, but still loyal K-9. There is a gift shop with a menagerie of Doctor Who items. The most interesting items were autographed stamp covers. These are postage set against an envelope sized photo of the actor from the series. Outside was the Wales Millennium Centre, this is the building featured in a few episodes of Doctor Who and is of course above the Torchwood headquarters.  The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff eventually closed on the 9th of September in 2017. Experiences followed with other Doctors. 

#DoctorWhoExhibition, #DavidTennant, #Dalek, #K9