Recently, the AVLtoday team checked out the ongoing Downton Abbey exhibit at Biltmore. Up for one more month (through April 7), it’s an interactive, multimedia event that also features costumes straight from the collection.
And while I have to admit that neither Brook nor I have seen much of Downton Abbey, the hit PBS Masterpiece show that follows an upper-crust British family and their employees who live at a grand estate in Yorkshire from 1912-1926, we found a lot to love about the exhibition, and we think it’s a #MustSee while it’s still here.
DYK: The exhibit is across 10,860 square feet took 22 days to install. It opened in Singapore in 2017 – and Biltmore is the fourth American venue it’s visited (after New York City, West Palm Beach, and Boston). It’s a collab between Imagine Exhibitions and NBC Universal.
Ready to holiday at Downton? Here’s what you need to know.
- Access to the exhibit is included with the purchase of a daytime pass ($69) or an overnight stay + daytime visit at the Estate. Passholders can purchase a ticket for $18 (free for kids).
- It’s spread over two locations at Biltmore – Amherst at Deerpark (a new special events building on the Estate) and The Legacy Building, near the winery.
- The immersive, multimedia portion of the event (plus set pieces + history displays) is at Amherst, while most of the costumes are at The Legacy Building. You’ll want to see both.
- At Amherst, expect deep dives into the show – like features on 21 characters and re-creations of the sets, including the “upstairs/downstairs” quarters of the house (like the famous “bell board” used to call servants). Plus, you’ll get a history lesson and learn all about issues at the time, like the effects of World War I, class, healthcare, women’s rights, technology + more. A few costumes are also on display at Amherst, as well as interactive pull-out drawers with more info about the show + its themes.
- You’ll also walk through the green baize door to the servants’ quarters, as well as the library, an immersive room with walls that shift to create spaces from the show.
- Images from the show were used to recreate the sets, and there’s even a special scent piped in – to make things feel extra cozy.
- Protip: While at Amherst, make sure you apply to work at Downton – a fun, interactive feature that matches you with a coveted position in the stately home. I was hired as a Lady’s Maid, and Brook found a position in the kitchen.
- At The Legacy Building, you’ll see all of the most iconic + stunning costumes from the show + film (58 total across the exhibition). And once again, even though I’ve only seen a few episodes, I was blown away by the beautiful outfits, like wedding dresses, kingly attire + Lady Sybil’s (shocking) turquoise ladies’ pantaloons.
The curatorial team at Biltmore was especially excited for the exhibition because of the thematic link to Biltmore’s history, which parallels Downton’s.
Up next at Biltmore? The Biltmore Gardens Railway will return this summer with the warmer weather, and Biltmore Blooms starts this spring. And if you’re thinking about becoming a passholder, Biltmore’s spring annual pass sale kicks off April 1 – when you can save $100 on a pass ($119 instead of $219).
