Neil Cole's Adventures in Science Fiction: Museum of Sci-fi

Neil Cole's Adventures in Science Fiction: Museum of Sci-fi The UK's permanent science-fiction museum, detailing the history of the classic sci-fi genre and cla Neil Cole: Artist & Museum Creator/Curator
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This page documents the creation of the Uk's permanent science-fiction museum in the north-east of England. The museum is situated in Allendale Town- an extremely picturesque village in the North Pennines. Visitors to the museum will be able to find lovely coffee shops and amenities on hand, as well as stunning walks. The idea for the museum stemmed from my lifelong fascination with science-fictio

n. It tells the story of a young boy who dreamt of travelling to other planets- but didn’t quite make it. Instead, he had a lot of fun watching, reading, collecting, drawing, making and dreaming. From a handful of action figures and comics and staying up very late to catch old B&W movies with his Dad, this interest never waned. The museum sets out to tell a brief history of science-fiction from H.G.Wells to the current day through my experience of the genre. It will of course be biased to those movies, comics and ideas that have most affected me personally. The story will be told with many original, screen-used props and costumes, production items, animation cels and published artwork. This journey highlights the landmark worlds of Wells, ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Star Wars’, whilst also exploring key genre themes, such as robotics and dystopia. I will also be producing original, unique artwork for the museum. Keep checking back to the page to follow the ever changing museum!

Hello everyone! There has been some confusion over the Skarsen (bless him) following the recent article in DWM. The Skar...
15/08/2025

Hello everyone! There has been some confusion over the Skarsen (bless him) following the recent article in DWM. The Skarasen being wrought by Mike Tucker is the remarkable new version made for the update vfx shots. I restored the original prop for the Philip Hincliffe doc after Mike kindly charged me with its responsibility! The new puppet made for the updated effects scenes was made by Robert Rob Allsopp and Mike Tucker as the original prop was in really poor shape and could never have been used as a puppet again....so...Mike and Rob knew they needed to create a new, incredibly accurate version that could 'perform'- with Mike's arm up it! Meanwhile I stopped the original puppet from dropping to bits and restored that....and that version appears with Philip Hincliffe and Toby Hadoke . I can understand the confusion from the article though!!!🤣

Hi everyone - I really wanted to write this post following the publishing of DWM's 'Cybermen: The Ultimate Guide' .... o...
15/08/2025

Hi everyone - I really wanted to write this post following the publishing of DWM's 'Cybermen: The Ultimate Guide' .... ommitted the surviving screen-used Cyberscout from 'Attack' (replete with its original one-off screen used red-Cybergun) - that can be visited in person all year round at the Museum....and especially for JD Paquin and the Old School Doctor Who Fans page...after JD shared some lovely pictures of the Cyberscout from Attack of the Cybermen. Just a couple of things really.... I had the good fortune to be able to restore the original costume some 20 years ago, and it now resides on permanent public display - all year round at the Museum here in Northumberland UK in Allendale (near the Roman Wall). For anyone particularly interested in this piece of Cyber-history I did write a short mag/book about it for Museum subscribers - although I do have a few copies still if anyone is interested (part of the Museum Archive Collection). Just email Chris at the museum e-mail classicscifimuseum@gmail.com for details. In the UK the total cost for the mag including postage will be a tenner.

In terms of the restoration - the suit had been worn by Roger Pope in both Silver livery (on the Telos sequences) and then resprayed black for the final recording block in the sewers! When I got the suit it had been crumpled up - and never exhibited since its time on Attack. Paint was flaking off in varying places showing the original Earthshock coats beneath. Ultimately it was a big job re-affixing mesh and tears in the outer suit....before repainting....hopefully I think I did it justice!

Finally two years ago I was able to reunite the costume with the original red Cybergun - a truly remarkable thing to happen.....generally once these things are separated they disappear into private collections never to be seen again! Do drop in and say hello to the Scout if you are ever passing - the museum was built by a fan(me!) for fans - and its always lovely to chat with visitors about our favourite programme!!!

Well.... my first attempt at a 'proper' book has all but sold out now! I just want to extend a huge thank you to everyo...
14/08/2025

Well.... my first attempt at a 'proper' book has all but sold out now! I just want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who bought a copy (and sponsored the original hand drawn illustrations within!) ....and contributed photographs and research....and well... just supported my work!!! I'm now working away at vol 2 for release next year! I will make a second pressing of volume 1 at some point....and mark it thus!!! Some of the original artwork for vol 1 (and some sneak peeks for vol 2) can be seen in my Seek-Locate-Restore! Exhibition still at Hexham's Queenshall until September! Sam Woolmer- don't worry!!! I have your copy safe!!!! And a huge thank you to David Howe, Paul Mount, Tony Dowling and Mike Tucker for reviewing and mentioning my first endeavor- its really tough self-publishing and getting people to actually look at your work when you are a relative unknown and, as I have discovered....the world is full of cliques and gate-keepers that makes things that much harder for folks such as myself. If you are starting out - don't give up- keep going!!!! Your voice is as important as anyone else's!!! Thought for the day!!!🤣❤️

Good morning from The Museum with a lovely photo courtesy of Chris Bale of the classic Doctor Who Season 18 display....s...
13/08/2025

Good morning from The Museum with a lovely photo courtesy of Chris Bale of the classic Doctor Who Season 18 display....soon to be updated!!! Have a lovely day....or the best one possible everyone! #

Good afternoon, fellow Doctor Who and sci-fi chums.... My son Buzzy has just begun to find an interest in classic Who, s...
12/08/2025

Good afternoon, fellow Doctor Who and sci-fi chums.... My son Buzzy has just begun to find an interest in classic Who, so I started him with Season 12 as an apt jumping on point.... now arrived at Genesis of the Daleks! This got me reflecting on the remarkable remains of Michael Wisher's mask that are now on permanent public display all year round at the museum. It's interesting as they cause much discussion!

When you are presented with something that has lost a significant amount of itself....the question is always going to be - what the hell do I do with it? Restore to the point where I sculpt new sections to replace the missing ones or try to find a way of presenting what remains?

The solution I chose was to access a new casting from the original mould (or at least a second-generation cast) courtesy of Mike Rymill (thank you Mike!!!). I would then use this cast as an understructure to show what was left and also...what would have been. I could have sculpted new sections....BUT(!) that would have mixed up what was what. Overall I think I made the right choice. It did amuse me recently when a previous visitor to the museum thought what was left should just be binned....I get what he was saying, but disagree entirely- these are remnants of such a historic piece of Doctor Who history. One of our nearby Roman History museums has a display of a centurion armour....or what is left....about a similar proportion as to what remains of Davros. I get the same feeling looking at that. That is the ACTUAL piece...worn by a Roman soldier nearly 2,000 years ago. These pieces of deteriorated rubber are sections of the mask worn 50 years ago by Michael Wisher...the same mask I am now watching with my son. They may not be pretty- but they are history- unique - precious - and should be preserved... Even more so as new generations still manage to find our beloved sci-fi classic. Do drop in and visit old Davros Mark 1 - the museum is a tribute to the original Blackpool Exhibtion.... and hopefully the wonderful and magic we all shared watching the show so many years ago ❤️

A huge thank you to Matt Doe for helping me source this wonderful piece and to Mike Rymill for aiding in its presentation!

Last Dalek snap....I promise....but what a lovely pair!!!! Now, two sentinels outside the museum!!!
10/08/2025

Last Dalek snap....I promise....but what a lovely pair!!!! Now, two sentinels outside the museum!!!

Can't wait to add Stephen Yardley's 'Arak' costume from 1985's 'Vengeance on Varos' to the Museum's permanent collecti...
09/08/2025

Can't wait to add Stephen Yardley's 'Arak' costume from 1985's 'Vengeance on Varos' to the Museum's permanent collection. At present, the costume is on display at the Seek-Locate-Restore! Exhibition in Hexham's Queenshall....but in late September it will be joining Martin Jarvis' Governor costume and Sil in Allendale!!!

Just the biggest thank you this morning to friend and museum supporter John Page....who visited Seek-Locate-Restore! yes...
09/08/2025

Just the biggest thank you this morning to friend and museum supporter John Page....who visited Seek-Locate-Restore! yesterday! John, who also runs The Movieprop Warehouse has been soooo kind a supportive to my project over the years! Thank you John....and for putting up with some bloke babbling on behind you!!!🤣🤣🤣

Now that the dust has settled, putting together the Seek-Locate-Restore! Exhibition in Hexham I can only now begin to se...
08/08/2025

Now that the dust has settled, putting together the Seek-Locate-Restore! Exhibition in Hexham I can only now begin to see it through more objective eyes! I am very proud that I managed it and am grateful to family and friends for allowing me the space to work as unfettered as possible to make it happen❤️- THANK YOU. Looking this morning, Im quite pleased at how the Tzim Shaw and Weeping Angel restorations turned out....thankfully I'd completed the Skarasen prior to the exhibition deadline being set in March! Anyway....work now commencing on major update of the museum....but...Seek-Locate-Restore! continues to run (free!) At Hexham's Queenshall throughout the summer- why not drop in to see that and then drive 15 minutes up the road to visit the Museum here in Allendale?! Thank you to everyone who supports what I do and keeps me going ❤️

Delighted to be able to add one of Mike Tucker's lovely Dragonfire blasters to the Museum's Season 24 collection....soon...
07/08/2025

Delighted to be able to add one of Mike Tucker's lovely Dragonfire blasters to the Museum's Season 24 collection....soon to be on permanent display at Allendale. Presently though in Hexham at the free Seek-Locate-Restore! Exhibition at the Queenshall!

Repairs!!!!🤣
06/08/2025

Repairs!!!!🤣

Morning shenanigans at the Museum....just managed to get a Dalek from the fourth to ground floor....only taken me all mo...
06/08/2025

Morning shenanigans at the Museum....just managed to get a Dalek from the fourth to ground floor....only taken me all morning!!!! Georgian Townhouses and Daleks are not good companions!!!!🤣🤣🤣

Address

Osborne House
Hexham
NE479BJ

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30am - 3pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 3pm
Friday 10:30am - 3pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10:30am - 4pm

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Please note: the museum will reopen on October 24th! This page is to document the creation of a new permanent science-fiction museum in the north-east of England. I hope to open in about a year, (although I suspect it will be about a year and a half, as I’m the creative designer, builder and everything else in between!). The museum will be situated in Allendale Town- an extremely picturesque village in the North Pennines. Visitors to the museum will be able to find lovely coffee shops and amenities on hand, as well as stunning walks. The idea for the museum stemmed from my lifelong fascination with science-fiction. It tells the story of a young boy who dreamt of travelling to other planets- but didn’t quite make it. Instead, he had a lot of fun watching, reading, collecting, drawing, making and dreaming. From a handful of action figures and comics and staying up very late to catch old B&W movies with his Dad, this interest never waned. The museum sets out to tell a brief history of science-fiction from H.G.Wells to the current day through my experience of the genre. It will of course be biased to those movies, comics and ideas that have most affected me personally. The story will be told with many original, screen-used props and costumes, production items, animation cels and published artwork. This journey highlights the landmark worlds of Wells, ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Star Wars’, whilst also exploring key genre themes, such as robotics and dystopia. I will also be producing original, unique artwork for the museum. Keep checking back to the page to see the museum (and its inhabitants!) begin to develop over the next year or so…the countdown has begun… Neil Cole: Artist & Curator- 2015