Museum of Classic Sci-Fi

The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi sits in the cellar of a four-storey Georgian townhouse in Allendale, Northumberland. The house has a grade II listing and the museum opened in 2018. It holds more than two hundred props, costumes and artworks from mid to late-20th century science fiction franchises. Doctor Who, Blake’s 7, Star Trek, Flash Gordon, Thunderbirds and the Marvel universe are all represented. The museum also owns a Volvo car with a Tardis on its roof, called the ‘Volvardis’. The museum was founded by art teacher Neil Cole, who dreamed of creating such a place since childhood. His first costume was the Ohica outfit from Doctor Who’s 1976 serial The Brain of Morbius. He sold his motorcycle to buy it as a student. Other notable items include a robot mummy’s head from the 1975 Doctor Who serial Pyramids of Mars. The costume of the Rasiinian ambassador Runepp, worn in a 1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode, is also on display. Visitors find the cellar arranged with displays of props and costumes along narrow pathways. The museum reopened in late 2021 after lockdown with expanded space and new exhibits. A grand reopening weekend featured Doctor Who actress Sophie Aldred and fans in costume. The event was filmed for a documentary by Reeltime Pictures. Outside, the ‘Volvardis’ stands as a quirky landmark, adding to the town’s sci-fi atmosphere.