Located at The Old Selfridges Hotel in London is this free pop-up Frankenstein exhibition celebrating the brand new Guillermo del Toro movie Frankenstein which is out now on Netflix.
Within this strange retail focused space is a barrier into the unknown, like crossing a threshold between myth and mirror as we step into the world of del Toro’s Frankenstein movie as part of this immersive exhibition featuring costumes, concept art, props and more from this Netflix debut horror title.
The film (and exhibition) takes Mary Shelley’s timeless tale not as a dusty Gothic relic, but as a living reflection of creation, obsession, and identity in the modern world. It’s part art installation, part theatrical dreamscape—and unmistakably London in its daring collision of commerce, culture, and chaos.
The sets within this movie are nothing short of jaw-dropping and it’s such a shame that the set that took 9 months to build was torn down within 12 days of filming never to be seen again. These works of art need to be preserved for many to experience but at least the exhibition has smaller scale versions of these incredible sets.
Seeing the attention detail of all the costumes, props and even the bodies all lend a grisly hand towards crafting this exhibition space.
There is a LOT to read throughout the exhibition along with behind the scenes footage and interviews being showcased on monitors around the exhibition space.
Fashion, film and sculpture blend into one as the film also features a whole range of Tiffany & Co jewellery throughout and this is showcased within the exhibition space as that barrier blurs between the retail space next door and this dark, twisted exploration of del Toro’s Netflix creation.
What makes A Tale Eternal compelling is its refusal to sentimentalize Frankenstein. Instead, it probes the myth’s lingering relevance: our fascination with artificial life, our fear of obsolescence, our hunger to be gods in a digital age. The pieces are curated with intelligence and restraint—never didactic, but dense with implication. The mannequins draped in distorted couture seem both divine and grotesque, their presence daring you to look—and to flinch.
Frankenstein: A Tale Eternal is more than an exhibition—it’s a dialogue between past and future, text and body, maker and made. It’s a celebration of this remarkable feature and It leaves you unsettled, not because it’s frightening, but because it reminds you that Shelley’s monster is not a figure of fantasy. He’s us—stitched together from ambition and longing, searching for recognition in a world that made him and turned away.
From the exhibition (passing the merchandise stand on your way out, naturally) you emerge from Selfridges back into Oxford Street’s neon glow, wondering, as Shelley did over two centuries ago, what it truly means to be alive.
What I also enjoyed about the exhibition was just how up close and personal you could get to a whole variety of costumes and props used within the movie. They weren’t behind glass and this allowed you to get up close and personal to see the finest details.
It was hard to imagine this event being free-of-charge. They really went all out to promote this film and this exhibition certainly felt more well-rounded to even paid ones we have done this year.
Check out our video walkthrough of the exhibition that we shot below, with the free-to-enter exhibition ending on November 9th.
We thought we’d document it for everyone to check out in the future as they see fit.
