Warriors Descend On Inverness Museum & Art Gallery

19th February 2011

Film costumes from Hollywood blockbusters like Gladiator, King Arthur and the Last Samurai are coming to Inverness Museum and Art Gallery this month as part of the Way of the Warrior exhibition.

Way of the Warrior is a visually stunning exhibition of movie arms and armour used in epic historical blockbuster movies, organised by Pop Up Exhibitions. It includes 14 full warrior costumes containing 'screen used' props from some of the biggest historical movies including; Gladiator, Alexander, King Arthur, Kingdom of Heaven, The Last Samurai, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down and Centurion, which was filmed in the Highlands. All the movie armour and costumes are historically based, many representing highly accurate reconstructions of warrior equipment and weapons spanning the last 2,500 years.

The Exhibition includes large format, illustrated graphic panels that describe the warrior's weapons, tactics and philosophies and their most famous battlefield encounters. Uniquely this exhibition offers a range of interactive, replica handling armour for visitors to experience, ranging from a gladiator helmet to a World War II backpack.

The costumes have been specifically made for 20th century actors so although they look like the real deal many have been made with modern lightweight materials. Highlights of the exhibition are the Galahad outfit worn by Hugh Dancy in King Arthur and Aeron's Pictish Warrior costume worn by Axelle Cameson in Centurion.
Intergrated into the exhibition are some objects from the Inverness Museum collection relating to 'The Highland Warrior' which provide a contrast between the reality of warfare and the glossy Hollywood interpretation. Warfare is deeply embedded in Highland history and culture and the reality is even more shocking than the film version! The works on display include spiked targes, a Samurai sword, a Lovat Scout uniform and a Brown Bess firearm.

Complementing the exhibition is a competition trail for children and all the family with a prize for the winning entry drawn at the end of the exhibition.

To coincide with this exhibition Eden Court will be running a season of the films from which the costumes are taken.

The Way of the Warrior opens at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.

on Saturday 19 February and runs until Saturday 23rd April. Admission is free and opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.