Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition in Pōneke Photo: Phoebe Mackenzie Wellington NZ
From hanging out with Daleks and Weeping Angels to the many different iterations of the sonic screwdriver - costumes, props, gadgets and gizmos from the world’s longest running sci-fi series have materialised in Pōneke Wellington as part of exhibition Doctor Who Worlds of Wonders: Where Science Meets Fiction. It’s now at the Tākina events centre.
As the title suggests, the exhibition - previously only shown at the World Museum Liverpool and National Museum of Scotland - explores the science behind the hit series, as well as introducing some of its iconic characters since it began in 1963.
As the Doctor once said: “There’s something that doesn’t make sense. Let’s go and poke it with a stick.” The exhibition has not only been created in collaboration with BBC Studios, but has also had many advisors on a wide range of science topics, from time travel and black holes to AI and cloning.
In our time of DNA cloning and AI, the series’ questions of society becoming ever more dependent on robots, makes this exhibition’s teasing out of the science via human drama feel ever more relevant.
Davros in Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition in Pōneke Photo: Phoebe Mackenzie Wellington NZ
But if you’re just here for the memorable characters, there are plenty. From ‘80s Doctor Peter Davison’s robot companion Kamelion to this century’s Lady Cassandra, so obsessed with plastic surgery that after 708 operations she has come to resemble "a bitchy trampoline”.
How could the Tardis - which resembles a wooden ‘60s police box - be so much bigger on the inside? To explore this question and more, Culture 101’s Mark Amery and a special guest reviewer, take a look.
The exhibition also coincides with the latest series of Doctor Who starting streaming on Disney Plus. It stars a new doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa, with new companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.
Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition in Pōneke Photo: WellingtonNZ
