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By Alice Hardaker

With the booming theme tune, swirling lights and big blue TARDIS doors, it was excruciatingly difficult for me to disguise my childlike glee and the urge to run straight up to the awaiting 1960s style console at Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder entrance – so I recommend not doing so. The first room of the exhibition is one in which you can applaud the incredible recreation of some of the show’s original props without doing much more than revelling in how impressive everything is up-close. However, once you move beyond the introductory welcome clip from Mark Gatiss, your virtual tour guide, there’s much more than just carefully curated costumes and sonic screwdriver collections to admire.

Detail is packed into every corner of each room, from information cards to screens playing video insights from experts on Doctor Who, its wider scientific themes and television in general. The exhibition purports to draw special attention to the scientific and technical aspects in particular, and I would argue that it does so very successfully. In a fitting tribute to the programme’s initial intention to educate its young viewers in both science and history, the exhibition tracks 60 years of the Doctor’s adventures and examines the real research and theories which it draws upon (and in some instances, preempted). Although nobody in our visiting group had an extensive interest in science, careful explanations of specialist terms and clearly drawn connections to the show made the facts given easily digestible for any visitor. Themed rooms also supported the educational aspect of the displays, with organisation by concepts such as ‘time travel’ and ‘space exploration’ making it easier for fans to pinpoint areas they truly enjoyed learning more about – I certainly added a note to look more into the information on ‘Robotics and AI’ that Doctor Who offers (Tides readers may want to check out ‘Maximising smiliness’ in #39 – Ed.), after being thoroughly entertained by a hallway greeting visitors with both K-9 and Season 12’s eponymous Robot. Similarly, the costumes of Omega and older Ice Warriors sparked friends’ interest in the classic series, which was less familiar to them than the hanging bodies of the Silence or the more modern Silurian masks.

The exhibition ultimately strikes a careful, but very successful, balance between imparting knowledge and embracing the fantastical side of Doctor Who. Admittedly, some of the informative video clips did feel at times as if they dragged a little, which is perhaps due to being clustered together in the same room corners. However, this is something I’m sure most fans similarly forgave when they too stumbled upon a Dalek voice modulator not too long after. The joy at being able to recount the Chinese takeout we had just enjoyed in robotic shrieks was a lot of fun, and it didn’t stop there – cries of our rather creative script continued within the Dalek shell that fans could climb into over in the next room, before we emerged and were thoroughly berated by a Lady Cassandra projection. This highlights the wealth of props, interactive games and fun facts to enjoy in Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder, of which there are arguably almost too much. Our ability to properly browse the final corridor of the exhibit was afforded to us by virtue of the kindness of the staff working, who kept the room open past official closing time especially so we could complete the trail. If you’re planning to visit, I’d recommend booking an earlier time slot than mid-afternoon. 

I’m glad that the staff did stick around, as the final piece of this room, ‘Doctor Who’s Liverpool Connections’, was one I’d have been sad to miss. A wall-sized map of the city highlights different locations which had featured in the show during its long history, as well as information on some of its famous cast who came from the city. Be it my friend’s surprise in learning Elisabeth Sladen’s Scouse origins, or my own at just how close my childhood neighbourhood was to Paul McGann’s, this nod to Liverpool allowed me to have a lovely moment of pride in my city’s famous reputation for the arts. I certainly wasn’t the only one, either – the enthusiasm of the World Museum’s staff in interacting with fans and directing us to their personal favourite sections of the exhibit was infectious. From playing fashion critic with a staff member who was showcasing minute details of the Thirteenth Doctor’s costume to the many cries of “Don’t blink!” when approaching models of Weeping Angel, the visit was made significantly better by the excitement shared by all. 

Though any fan of the show could be entertained by the exhibition, there was something a little more special about the fact that it was hosted in my home city, beyond the conveniently short drive and familiarity when navigating the museum hallways. In particular, appreciation must be given to the amazing artwork which greets visitors on arrival to the exhibition. A painting cherry-picking Liverpool’s most famous landmarks meshes the city landscape with classic Doctor Who figures. From Sontarans to the Liver Building, the scene is reminiscent of Series Thirteen. Despite having my own reservations about what I believe to be a slightly exaggerated portrayal of the city, I’m sure I’m not alone in appreciating how the show, and now the exhibition, celebrates its connection to Liverpool so positively, which is sadly not how the area is often portrayed. Whovians only needed to stop into the museum’s neighbouring Central Library to see the city also embracing the show’s connections to Liverpool, with a mini-exhibit displaying everything from the Tenth Doctor’s coat to books depicting the same events as Big Finish episodes. To be able to share my love of Doctor Who in the city, something I’d had little opportunity to do prior to joining WhoSoc, was an unexpected but incredibly welcome highlight of visiting Worlds of Wonder.

I can only hope Edinburgh enjoys hosting the exhibition as much as Liverpool did. Whether it’s to learn some new scientific facts or merely to enjoy the array of Cybermen heads on show, the exhibition is well worth visiting for all who are yet to visit. 

Print copies of Tides 49 are, at time of publication, available to buy through this link