Game of Thrones may be coming to a close soon, but that doesn't mean fan won't still be able to immerse themselves in the franchise long after the final six episodes air. According to The New York Times, a Game of Thrones studio tour will debut in 2020, allowing everyone the chance to visit the set of Westeros. The attraction will take place at Linen Mill Studios in Northern Ireland, which is where scenes involving Winterfell and Castle Black were shot, and provide visitors will an up close and personal look at the show's sets, costumes, weapons, and props.
“It’s going to be an immersive experience where fans will feel like they are inside their favorite sets from the show,” HBO vice president for licensing and retail, Jeff Peters, said in a statement, as per The New York Times. Furthermore, a press release for the exciting news, which was obtained by The Wrap, goes on to say: “Guests will be treated to an up-close and personal look at a wide selection of items pulled straight from the screen and have the opportunity to walk through authentic set pieces from some of the show’s most iconic scenes.”
A further description of the tour reads as follows:
"Located within Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland — the original filming location used for many iconic scenes throughout the run of the series — the tour will bring visitors face-to-face with original set pieces, costumes, props, and weapons used to create the worlds of Westeros and Essos. Featuring a compelling mix of behind-the scenes insights, interactive elements, and expansive, fully dressed sets, visitors will wander in the very footsteps of Westeros’s most prominent residents, re-living key moments from the series and standing right where they took place."
Interestingly enough, though, this is just the first of possibly four interactive Game of Thrones experiences in the works. There are multiple GoT filming locations in Northern Ireland that are reportedly getting transformed into visitation hot spots for public consumption. This includes the sets for King’s Landing in Belfast as well as Castle Black and the Wall, however, those plans have yet to be officially finalized for the time being.
But now that this studio tour is underway and slated to open in the spring of 2020, fans can start looking their tickets to Ireland and get a firsthand look at so many of the details that helped to make the series what it is today. “It is our sincere pleasure to announce the first attraction from the Game of Thrones Legacy project in Northern Ireland,” Peters said in a statement, as per The Wrap. “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.”
So start booking those plane tickets ASAP because once Season 8 is over, you're going to want to surround yourself with as much Game of Thrones content as possible to help fill the void it's sure to leave behind. And what better way to do that than by visiting Westeros itself!
