A Downton Abbey immersive exhibition is coming... but not to Britain
Mr Carson would be spitting out his tea
Downton Abbey is a national treasure. It’s adored worldwide for its quaint country scenes, stiff upper lips and remarkably kind aristocracy. It is, ultimately, the embodiment of Britishness.
So why, we ask, is the Downton Abbey exhibition not coming to Britain?
It's like when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in Florida all over again.
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, launches this June. In Singapore. And while there are plans for a “multi-year” tour of the US, there are “no plans at this stage” to bring the exhibition to the UK.
Mr Carson would be spitting out his tea.
NBCUniversal International Studios and Imagine Exhibitions, both American companies, are collaborating to create an “immersive” Downton experience.
So immersive, in fact, it is promising to feature original props and costumes and take fans through locations "from Mrs Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fuelled servants’ quarters to the glamorous state rooms".
Michael Edelstein, President of NBCUniversal International Studios, said: “Downton Abbey: The Exhibition allows this incredible legacy to live on by offering a multi-million dollar museum quality experience that will delight fans, ultimately extending the connection they have with Downton’s compelling characters and storylines.”
Indeed, the show was hugely popular in America, earning a whopping 69 Emmy nominations during its time on the air.
But surely we Brits – the first to shed Sunday night tears over Mary and Matthew’s ill-fated romance before it was aired in the US several months later – deserve a piece of the revived Downton drama?
If you do fancy shelling out for a plane ticket to Singapore, you can pre-register for exhibition tickets here.
Meanwhile, we’ll stick with a visit to Highclere Castle, thanks. It’s the original Abbey, and it certainly won’t be shooting off to Singapore any time soon. And with rumours swirling of a Downton film in the works, we may not have to wait too long to see our favourite British family again.
