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EastEnders Expands

We've just added some special photographs in the Cafe at 96 Shenley Road.  They show Behind The Scenes photos of action on our favourite show, from Dot doing her makeup to Kat getting some hairspray. Make sure you check them out when you visit EastEnders At 40, our current Exhibition.

We've had visitors from all over the UK and further afield. In just a few weeks we've welcomed fans from Aberdeen, Peterborough, West Sussex, Somerset, Sheffield, Coalville, and, indeed, Colleville-sur-Mer in Northern France, New York, and further afield.  Looking forward to seeing you.

For more info and insights watch our YouTube video with Dave Armitage here.

EastEnders At 40 - Remembering Our Opening Night

If you had been following us on this blog with our regular updates, you'll know how much we managed to accomplish in the two weeks we were closed.

We built a replica of the Queen Vic bar, complete with the bust of the Queen herself, and original working hand pumps - no beer included.

We re-created Martin Fowler’s fruit and veg stall in the middle of the Museum, complete with realistic props, and some real fruit and veg.

And we produced nine wall panels telling the story and background to the last 40 years of the programme, while filling our display cases with props loaned from the BBC.  These include Dot Cotton's outfit and Sharon's wedding dress, not to mention some nasty looking murder weapons.

Thank you to actor Adam Woodyatt, (Ian Beale, of course), who we invited to open the Exhibition by cutting the ‘Do Not Cross’ police tape with the one and only pair of Museum scissors. Hertsmere’s Mayor, Cllr Alpha Collins and Elstree and Borehamwood’s Town Mayor, Cllr Dan Ozarow were also present, as were members of the BBC who had assisted and supported us.

Not forgetting those who created the Exhibition - Ruth the inspirer, Dave the problem solver, Tony the master builder, and Simon the odd-job person.

Come and visit us - you will be amazed at what we've achieved in 50 square feet (again!)

EastEnders At 40 : Open Now

Our new Exhibition is now open and fans of the soap are dropping by to see our creation of the Queen Vic bar and taking selfies with the beer pumps and the Queen's head.

Don't forget Ian's Market Stall - are the fruit and veg real?  And Sharon's wedding dress and Dot's dress and coat.

There's a free EastEnders At 40 beer mat for everyone who visits.  Don't delay, come in today!

EastEnders At 40 - W. I. P : Stage Three - The Final Push

We're nearly there at last - just a few days and a final push and our new Exhibition will be open on Thursday. Here's a few teasing photos for you of the panels, display cases, and Vic in the library waiting her place on the bar.  Wonder who the costume fits?

EastEnders At 40 - W. I. P. : Stage Two

Some items for the Exhibition have arrived from the BBC including a rather large 'zero' and a 'four'. What could they be for?  And Tony is getting on with his bar and beer pumps. Cheers!, everyone.

EastEnders At 40 - W. I. P. : Stage One

We've started the process of preparing for the next Exhibition - everything is stripped out. Our little Nipper plane is in two pieces and has gone off to the De Havilland Museum, while all the other items from the Elstree Aerodrome story have flown back from whence they came.

Now we begin the new build - some items have arrived from the BBC.  More details to follow soon...

Our New Exhibition : EastEnders At 40

The Museum is now closed for a couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone who came to visit our Elstree Aerodrome story and to fly the plane around the aerodrome.

We are now preparing our next exciting Exhibition : EastEnders At 40. The BBC are giving us lots of iconic props, lots of photos of the dramatic stories, and even some plastic fruit and veg! Why?  You'll have to come and find out.

We will have a full-size model of the Queen Vic bar, complete with the bust of Vic herself, and there will be many opportunites for selfies behind the bar.

Opening on Thursday 4th September, we will be updating you on what's happened in Albert Square in the ten years since our last EastEnders At 30 Exhibition. 

And updating you here on the Blog as the Exhibition comes together, so please check in as the opening gets closer!

Summertime Fun!

We've added some fun to our current Exhibition for the holidays!  So now you can still fly our plane from Elstree down to the Thames and under Tower Bridge, and you can now play a few of those games you remember from your youth as well.  Have a go at Simon, Bagatelle, Rubricks, Nintendo and that buzzer thingie that no one can do. Show the kids how simple life was BP (Before Phones) and how easily pleased we were!  Seriously folks, it's holiday fun time so take a selfie with the cutout couple and pretend you're at the beach.

Biggles Arrives

On #MemoriesMonday we find Biggles coming in to land at Elstree Aerodrome in 1947. Having dropped Ginger off at Lympne, Biggles decided to fly into Elstree to catch up with some friends at Home Farm.  You too can dress like Biggles and fly our Nipper in and out of Elstree. Just come up to the Museum and have a go!  And we are open this Sunday afternoon when the Christmas Lights are turned on from 3pm to 5pm. PS - get your Christmas Cards at the same time.

Up Up And Away Takes Off

We've launched our new Exhibition, Up Up And Away at the Museum. Present were mayors, councillors, pilots, ground crew, and others involved in creating the Exhibition.  Star of the show was Alan Kirtly's reproduction of the Tipsy Nipper 2 which used to fly from Elstree as a training plane. Small enough to fit into our tiny space, but if it had an engine it could have flown away. Visitors will be able to sit in it and fly out of Elstree and back. Here we see Richard Butler, Mayor of Hertsmere, trying the Nipper for size, and Dan Ozarow, Deputy Mayor of Borehamwood, waiting his turn.

Our photo below shows Humphrey Gibb, the CEO of Elstree Aerodrome looking at a display with Elaine Butchins of the Trustees.