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!

T'was 11 years ago....that I began the Museum project! This image just popped up in my timeline....from (literally) day ...
21/06/2026

T'was 11 years ago....that I began the Museum project! This image just popped up in my timeline....from (literally) day 4 of the Museum project!!!! The replica droids never made it to the Museum as intended as the sheer volume of stone work - not to mention multiple Doctor Who prop restorations entirely engulfed everything- and at that point I was still teaching full time with two young children....NUTS!!!! But....it's a time to THANK everyone who stuck with me over the years .... the Museum has been a lifelong goal and continues to develop with new restorations to come and now a multitude of original unique publications and artwork- THANK YOU ALL!!!!❤️❤️❤️

Exciting announcement for classic Doctor Who exhibtion and well....general history types (like myself!!!!🤣) - Next month...
20/06/2026

Exciting announcement for classic Doctor Who exhibtion and well....general history types (like myself!!!!🤣) - Next month I'll be publishing the first of a two part guide book to the Museum's classic Doctor Who collection. Primarily....I realised that the now (8 year old!) Museum guide book was less of a Museum guide as a classic SF/Doctor Who primer....and that for many visitors what they wanted was an an actual in depth guide to what was physically on display in the Museum. Also for dedicated Museum followers living far away - for whom reaching the Museum could be difficult- I wanted to produce something physically they could hold in their hands! This first guide book will cover material in the collection emanating from the first four Doctors..... but a second volume (Doctors 1 to 7) will follow. Digital and printed copies of the guide will be going out free to Freinds of the Museum.....but I will also be making this special publication available for purchase to museum visitors and any fans by mail order! Each item in the museum collection I have meticulously researched and hopefully, I've designed a really visually pleasing publication that is an easy enjoyable read! Thank you to the fellow fans (friends!!!) and Who alumni who have helped answer some of my questions and pondering!!!! Standby!!! # # #

18/06/2026

Latest from the Museum.....working on the next illustration for It Belongs in a Museum Vol 2- The Third Doctor!!!! The original artwork in this instance will be heading off to Visual Effects legends Mike Tucker once I've scanned it for inclusion in the book! Lots more going on to..... new special publication announcement coming very soon!

'Actual human being rendered' art presents....🤣 Got a little behind on drawing duties with a lot of other stuff going on...
14/06/2026

'Actual human being rendered' art presents....🤣 Got a little behind on drawing duties with a lot of other stuff going on at the Museum! But I declare this drawing finished! Hand drawn, biro and coloured pencil on A4 paper! No computers were involved in the creation of this image - all human 😀....well....except the manufacture of the biro!!! #

A lovely and unexpected visit at the Museum today! Bob Richardson dropped in - Bob helped manage and run the original BB...
13/06/2026

A lovely and unexpected visit at the Museum today! Bob Richardson dropped in - Bob helped manage and run the original BBC Blackpool Doctor Who Exhibition in the 1970s and 80s - the exhibiton that inspired me to create the Museum of Classic Sci-Fi in the first place! Such an honour. Bob kindly donated his vintage SEVANS Dalek model (that he himself built) to the Museum - I will be adding into the Dalek display as a little tribute to Bob and all his efforts making the Blackpool Exhibtion such a memorable experience for those of us who were lucky enough to visit!

A permanent public museum for everyone - all year round. Preserving, protecting and sharing classic Doctor Who in the UK...
09/06/2026

A permanent public museum for everyone - all year round. Preserving, protecting and sharing classic Doctor Who in the UK for years to come. It's what I set out do in 2015 when I began creating the Museum space, and in 2026....having performed multiple restorations and published our first proper book - the Museum has steadily developed and will continue to do so. A warm welcome awaits fellow fans at the museum....all set within the beautiful scenery of The North Pennines, World Heritage site. I'm releasing a new publication next month....particularly exciting for classic Who fans.....standby! Still working on it now....but the above image is a clue!

I just want to thank Ian and the Cygnus Alpha team for enabling me to meet the inspiration and true enigma that is The F...
08/06/2026

I just want to thank Ian and the Cygnus Alpha team for enabling me to meet the inspiration and true enigma that is The Fourth Doctor- Tom Baker.....I don't really know how to put into words what that was like....but very surreal and so grateful that Genevieve Whalesong invited me to be her plus 1 for this limited number event. I also want to say how lovely it was meeting the team and chatting with people who's work I had read and seen over the decades! Whilst it wasn't announced- I just want to confirm to a few confused folks who asked me- the Mummy head I brought especially for the event is the last remaining screen-used Servitor head from Pyramids of Mars in existence! If you got a photo with it outside- that was what you were holding!😂 Anyway....the fragile piece is now back in the museum in Allendale, Northumberland- and open all year for fans to visit- so do drop in if you are passing through to see a significant collection of classic ear original Doctor Who props- many of which I have personally restored over the last two decades! Anyway....back to the new Museum book.....It Belongs in a Museum- The Third Doctor- coming out early 2027!

Doctor Who roadtrip 3!!!! The odyssey continues!!!!
06/06/2026

Doctor Who roadtrip 3!!!! The odyssey continues!!!!

06/06/2026

A message from Maiden's Point!!!! Beware the Haemavores in Northumberland....one has been captured in Allendale!!!! #

05/06/2026

Museum of Classic Sci-Fi road trip part 2!!!!

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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