The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 18: Winter 2020 | Page 30

Cover story

WHY, IT’ S

A world first horror experience dedicated to author Mary Shelley and her most infamous creation, Frankenstein is opening in Bath in spring 2021. Mary Shelley’ s House of Frankenstein will be the first fully immersive, multi-sensory visitor attraction dedicated to the iconic character.
The attraction hopes to be a welcome boost to the city’ s tourism trade post-coronavirus lockdown, giving tourists a new reason to visit. The business is set up as a Enterprise Investment Scheme, providing Bath residents and businesses with a tax-efficient opportunity to invest in their own city centre attraction. We met Commercial Director, Adam Leon, to find out more …
Adam Leon
WHY FRANKENSTEIN AND WHY IN BATH? Mary Shelley penned much of
Frankenstein whilst living in lodging houses in Bath’ s Abbey Churchyard over 200 years ago. Since it was first published in 1818, Frankenstein has gone on to have a significant impact on popular culture and is referred to as the world’ s first science fiction novel.
The 1931 Boris Karloff film,
Frankenstein, catapulted the popularity of the book and it has since spawned a number of sequels and spin-offs. Many people may not know the full story, but the green-faced monster has become a cinematic icon.
Bath is already a classic literary hotspot for Jane Austen fans, and it will soon become a must-visit for sci-fi and horror buffs too.
WHAT WILL YOU FIND INSIDE MARY SHELLEY’ S HOUSE OF
FRANKENSTEIN? The attraction will extend over four atmospheric floors, including our dank foreboding basement. Visitors will be immersed in Mary Shelley’ s complex and often tragic past, uncovering the true story behind the world’ s favourite monster.
The attraction will be full of unusual artefacts, vintage items and assorted body parts all showcased in interactive multisensory environments. Mary Shelley’ s House of Frankenstein will deliver a unnervingly visceral, illuminating and entertaining experience.
The main exhibits will include a permanent immersive exhibition showcasing the life and work of Mary Shelley and her most famous novel. The exhibition will also explore fashionable
scientific thinking and experiments of the time, especially Galvanism and the attempts to reanimate the dead using electricity.
We will also feature the‘ brand’
Frankenstein in popular culture, including life-size models and prosthetics, makeup, props, theatrical set design, special effects, and interactive horror scenes, so visitors can shoot selfies to share online.
Our aim is to become one of Bath’ s most visited tourist attractions, capitalising on the city’ s usual five million annual tourist footfall.
WHERE WILL THE ATTRACTION BE HOUSED? We’ ve signed a 15-year lease on 37 Gay Street. Our team of builders and construction artists have started work transforming the building, commissioning inventive contents, placing exhibits, wiring
the building full of trip-switches, installing hidden‘ holusion’ projectors and gauze screens, conceiving the audio-scape and aroma-scope, making rooms turn from warm to cold in the blink of an eye, and figuring out how dry ice and smoke effects won’ t set off the alarm system. In general, they’ re making magic!
Split over the Georgian building’ s four floors, Mary Shelley’ s House of
Frankenstein will also include a dark and sinister walk-thru basement experience, and a brand-related gift shop. There will also be a themed function space for hire and a themed team building / corporate events escape room. The escape room will be available for hire to both parties of friends and corporate groups. Participants will have to figure out a series of puzzles to escape before the mad scientist awakens.
16 www. tbebathandsomerset. co. uk