COOL STUFF

Check This Out: Peter Nelson's James Bond Museum!

by Alex Billington
April 9, 2009
Source: Wired, News & Star

Everyone knows I'm a huge James Bond fan (we had a whole week dedicated to the spy last year) and more often than not I'll feature Bond-related stories just because they have to do with my favorite on-screen hero. A few days ago Wired ran an article on the newly opened James Bond Museum in Keswick, England. I instantly knew I needed to feature this and after some further research, I've determined that this place truly is spectacular. Peter Nelson, a life-long Bond fan, has been collecting Bond memorabilia for 20 years. He has 28 cars, the golden gun and hundreds of other props, and 42-ton Russian tank from GoldenEye.

Nelson (seen to the right with his golden gun) told his local newspaper, the News & Star, that, "It is every boy's dream come true. I believe it will become one of the world's best small museums. People will travel from all over the world to see it and it is going to be a fantastic attraction for Keswick." It took him the last 20 years and all of his money (he used to be a dentist) to put together the collection. And he almost sold it all a year ago before changing his mind and deciding to open the museum. This entire thing is a labor of love for him, as he nearly did all the work on his own turning the location into the James Bond Museum.

So what else is in the museum? Well, he's got the Octopus from Octopussy and the original golden gun from The Man With The Golden Gun. As for the cars, he's got the Aston Martin DB5 with all its gadgets from Goldfinger, he's got the actual Mustang stunt car that drove on two wheels in Diamonds Are Forever, and he's got the Lotus Esprit Turbo that turns into a submarine from The Spy Who Loved Me. Hell, that's enough right there to convince me to visit, and I'm sure he's got hundreds of other great collectibles hidden away inside that we'll only be able to see if we visit in person.

Nelson says it was the "glamour, sophistication and humour" that sold Bond to him as a youngster when originally reading Ian Fleming's books. "All the actors have added to the Bond entity and Daniel Craig, the latest 007, has brought a gritty appeal. I can't wait for the 23rd film to come out." If you're interested in checking out the museum on your next trip, you can find the official website here: thebondmuseum.com. I'm already planning on swinging by as soon as I possibly can. Even though it's a bit off the beaten path, Keswick's dedication, passion, and collection, is more than enough to convince me it's a worthwhile trip.

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Related categories: Cool Stuff, Featured, James Bond