A celebration of the 80s at Dorset Museum
The 'I grew up 80s' exhibition at Dorset Museum is now open
An exhibition celebrating the best of the 80s has opened at Dorset Museum in Dorchester.
The exhibition is called I grew up 80s and is guaranteed to have visitors reminiscing as they browse through some iconic memorabilia.
The curator of the exhibition, Matt Ford wanted to shed an alternative light on the 80s than what is put across by the media.
He said: “When we look back at the 80s it’s often about Margaret Thatcher, the Falkland War and the miner’s strike but I wanted to come at this from a child’s perspective, what was it like to grow up in the 80s.”
Matt spent the best part of his childhood in the 80s, from 8 to 18, so decided to honour the “fun” parts of the decade.
He said: “I am a hopeless collector and I’ve collected all of these 80s memorabilia. They say that collecting is a sickness, sharing is the only cure, so that’s what I’m doing here at Dorset Museum.”
The exhibition is a shrine to 80s pop culture. It displays the album covers of timeless musicians like Queen, George Michael, Phil Collins and Kate Bush, who sang Running Up That Hill on Stranger Things.
Visitors can also find a full-sized, “immaculately preserved” Golf GTI in the exhibition, which has been borrowed from the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.
Matt said: “This was the aspirational car for every 17-year-old, and you won’t see one in this condition anywhere.”
Alongside the car is a collection of boom boxes, “bold” fashion statements and a rare Rally Vector Bike.
The exhibition is for all ages. It will certainly bring back memories for those who grew up in the 80s but it will also be enlightening for children to see the difference between now and then.
Exhibition manager at Dorset Museum, Lucy Johnston says: "This exhibition promises to be big, bright and loud. It will bring the new as well as the nostalgic to our exciting exhibition programme, enabling visitors to experience the ‘I remember that’ moment.”
I grew up 80s is open until February 26, 2023 and will be free to visit once inside Dorset Museum.