Game of Thrones stars open the new GoT Studio Tour in Northern Ireland

For a long while now, Northern Ireland has been readying a Game of Thrones museum of sorts at Linen Mills Studio in Corbet-Banbridge, where HBO did a lot of shooting over the run of the series. The Game of Thrones Studio Tour will feature props, costumes and sets from the show, and allow fans to feel like they’re really in Westeros…without the threat of grievous bodily harm, of course.

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour officially opens this Friday, but several stars from the show were on hand today to give fans a preview. They included Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Natalia Tena (Osha), Ian Beattie (Meryn Trant) and Ian McElhinney, who played the valiant knight Ser Barristan Selmy.

Stormont Economy Minister Gordon Lyons also weighed in on the importance of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, per the Belfast Telegraph. “That Northern Ireland was the principal filming location is testament both to the quality of the places we have here, and to the highly skilled, screen industry, talent base available,” he said. “I am delighted, therefore, that Linen Mill Studios, where a significant proportion of Northern Ireland-based scenes were filmed, has become the world’s first and only officially-licensed Game of Thrones studio tour attraction, and a tangible symbol of the show’s legacy in Northern Ireland.”

"This is the only place on the planet where you can see first-hand some of the stunning sets, intricate costumes, imaginative props, breath-taking concept sketches and many more authentic items related to the show."

An idea of what he means:

Get tickets to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour

The opening of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour has been delayed for a number of reasons, including the pandemic, but Lyons thinks that now is a great time to open. “As international travel opens up once more, Northern Ireland has added this world class attraction to its already dynamic tourism offering,” he said. “I congratulate studio owners on bringing the project to fruition and look forward to seeing the positive impact the Game of Thrones Studio Tour has on the local tourism landscape for many years to come.”

You can get tickets and more information on the Game of Thrones Studio Tour here.

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