Jo, Janet, Carol, Ann and I headed for the SciFi Museum in Milton Keynes today.
This was a first visit for us two and I can’t think why we’ve I’ve never been before. As we set off, the skies opened and it certainly wasn’t the weather for it today! It was now cold and chucking it down with rain. Thankfully, Janet offered to drive and with the wipers ofn double-speed for most of the journey, we were looking forward to a hot drink!
So, we took a very pleasant (and slight) diversion to Alban Hall Nurseries, in nearby Sherington for a cheeky beverage and nibbles! 👍. After the mad dash in the torrential rain from the car to our table, we were soon perusing the menu and Specials Board. First impressions? Very busy, a good selection of food, all served with a smile.
This was nice! Possibly the smallest Tea-Room I’ve ever been to! – and super quick service too! 👍
That was all very pleasant! Just what we needed. Next ? A dash back to the car, avoiding the rain (yes, it was still bucketing it down!) and continue our journey to the Museum.
The Museum
The Museum is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and exhibition of the art and skills that goes into delivering some of the world’s most successful films and TV shows. These artefacts and relics are created and used for only a very short time, before being discarded, and most are never seen again by the audience or their creators.
The Museum was easy to find, but perhaps NOT where you expect it – located ABOVE a series of shops in MK, rather than a separate building. We entered via a staircase that revealed an expansive space for displays.
The National Film and Sci-Fi Museum opened just after COVID and preserves these amazing creations, making them available for everyone to see and enjoy. There will be something for everyone, with many artefacts being shown for the very first time to the public. Displays from Star Wars to Indiana Jones, James Bond to Ghostbusters, Harry Potter to Marvel, and over 100 films and shows we all love, are on view here.
There was certainly plenty to see here and it certainly lived-up to the boast of the wealth of materials on show. Sadly, but maybe understandably, generally NO photography was allowed, with only a few selected areas promoting ‘selfie opportunities’. That was a shame, because quantity of materials was its strength.
Where it fell down for us was HOW it was displayed. There didn’t seem to be much logic to the sequence – one minute, Indiana Jones, the next, Gerry Anderson memorabilia, the next? Star Trek with the Game of Thrones ‘Iron Chair’ in amongst the props. It was all very weird and off-putting. Did it matter? Yes, I think so, as we were dragged mentally from one era to another with indecent haste. What this place really needed was a Curator.
It took us around 45 minutes to get around and if you’re in the area and have a liking for this sort of thing, it’s worth a visit (but be prepared to be disoriented) by their display decisions! It was £14 each to get in but you must pre-book a timed ticket. Opening times: Tuesday to Thursday 11am – 5pm Friday 10.30am – 6pm Saturday 10.30am – 6pm Sunday 10.30am – 4.30pm. A final point: We thought it was a bit of a stretch calling it a ‘museum’ – there just wasn’t enough information about each exhibit, and the signage was a bit of a rarity. Think of it as someone’s extended ‘collection’ and that fits the description perfectly.
Right outside the Museum Collection was their Lego Museum. It was well lit, and contained a massive series of varied exhibits, together with a detailed timeline of the LEGO® brand.
Whether you’re a traditionalist (just a few rectangular bricks and some imagination!) or more ‘new wave’ with their Technics sub-brand and/or their more modern, elaborate and lifelike constructions, there was something here for every fan of these versatile pieces of plastic!
It was certainly very bright! 😎
It took us just 30 minutes to see it all, and there was an opportunity to buy LEGO® kits in their many shapes and sizes on the way out. (we didn’t, but it was close!) 😀
So, taken both together, it was a worthwhile afternoon out. We all felt a little disappointed with the Film/TV/SciFi exhibits (but only because of the way it was all displayed). We headed back to the car where, yes, it was still raining hard and again, Jan took the wheel.
Good to see the girls again (but the weather could have been kinder!)
I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!
I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!