The Bottom Line
Pros
- Includes Ian Flemings writing desk from his Jamaican home, Goldeneye.
Cons
- Rather small exhibition considering the ticket price
Description
Dates: 17 April 2008 - 1 March 2009.
Tickets: Adults £8.00, Concessions and Groups £7.00, Children £4.00, Family £19.00 Book online.
First major exhibition devoted to the life and work of the man who created the world's most famous secret agent, James Bond.
Many exhibits have never been displayed before.
Explores his early life, wartime career, work as a journalist and travel writer, and later as an author.
Official exhibition website: www.iwm.org.uk/007
Ian Fleming Centenary website: www.ianflemingcentenary.com
You might also be interested in seeing The Fleming Collection in central London.
Guide Review - For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming and James Bond - Exhibition Review
This small, but interesting, exhibition is best suited to avid fans of Ian Fleming and is not about James Bond although some exhibits from the movies are included. If you are bringing young children I would actually suggest you save your money and head upstairs to Floor 1 to see the Secret War permanent exhibition as it has more James Bond memorabilia and is about spies and espionage. And it's free to see.
There are a few notable highlights of this exhibition. I was thrilled to see Ian Fleming's writing desk from his Jamaican home, Goldeneye, where he wrote all of the Bond novels. This is in the first room with other artifacts from his family history.
Fleming excelled at sport at Eton (famous private school) and won numerous cups, which are on display. He got his first paid job in 1931 as a journalist for Reuters where he learned to "write fast and above all to be accurate." During the Second World War he worked for the Naval Intelligence Division which could only benefit his later writing career. After the war he got married and started writing his "spy story". He also enjoyed gambling and golf and there is a roulette wheel on an interactive screen where you can spin the wheel and roll the dice and get information about key people in his life.
Fleming collected first edition books, many of which are included. You'll also see the 'blood-splattered' shirt worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and Halle Berry's bikini from Die Another Day.
I didn't notice many atmospheric sounds in the exhibition but maybe they were keeping the noise down as I visited during a press preview and there were a lot of TV crews. There are a few interactive touch screens but quite a few crashed while I was there.
As I said at the start, only go if you're a big fan of Ian Fleming and you'll be thrilled. For the rest of us, visit the free exhibition upstairs.
