The TV series may be drawing to a close but Game of Thrones fans can continue to experience the Seven Kingdoms as HBO has announced that the Game of Thrones Studio Tour will open in Northern Ireland in 2020.
The Game of Thrones Studio Tour will open in Northern Ireland next year. Image by HBO
Game of Thrones fans can experience the settings that served as a backdrop for the HBO show’s fictional world in an expansive new tour in Linen Mill Studios, Banbridge (midway between Belfast and Dublin) next year. Some of the most iconic sets from Game of Thrones were filmed here including the Starks’ Winterfell Castle, the Greyjoys’ Pyke, the Tullys’ Riverrun and the Three-Eyed Raven’s cave. Now HBO will convert these sites into a new 110,000-square-foot tourist attraction, giving fans the chance to relive key moments from the hit series from where they took place. It may even include new sets from season eight but naturally, HBO is keeping those details under wraps.
It will include fully-dressed sets from all over the ‘Thrones’ universe. Image by HBO
That’s not all, the studio tour will also include the actual fully-dressed sets, costumes, imagery and original props from all over the Game of Thrones universe – including King’s Landing, Braavos, Dorne and Dragonfell – which will be rebuilt and restored by the same construction crews and artists who worked on the Emmy award-winning show. Taking cues from the Warner Bros. Studio Tour of London – The Making of Harry Potter, the Linen Mill Studios tour will be a completely immersive experience, on a scale and scope more expansive than ever before.
Fans can relive key moments from Game of Thrones. Image by HBO
“Some of the most iconic scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed at Linen Mill Studios and our fans will soon have an opportunity to visit and see the work of the show’s incredible crew in the museum setting it deserves,” said Jeff Peters, vice president, licensing & retail, HBO.
The same crew and artists who worked on the show are bringing the studio tour to life. Image by HBO
The Game of Thrones Studio tour is the first in a series of legacy interactive fan experiences announced by HBO last year. Other Northern Ireland film locations are also set to open to the public, including the sets for Castle Black and King’s Landing in Belfast, although details have yet to be finalised.
The tour will take place at Linen Mill Studios and is the largest of its kind. Image by HBO
“Game of Thrones has transformed Northern Ireland into a leading international screen tourism destination, bringing many more visitors and fans of the show to Northern Ireland to explore the stunning landscapes, coastlines and mountains showcased in the series,” said John McGrillen, chief executive of Tourism NI. “I commend both Linen Mill Studios in recognising the increasing opportunity in screen tourism here and HBO’s commitment to Northern Ireland as the ‘Home of Thrones’.”
Meanwhile, Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition will open on 11 April at TEC Belfast with tickets priced between £15 (US$17.45) and £17.50 (US$20).
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