Winter has come to Arlington with a stunning show of design of one of the most successful series ever created.
“Game of Thrones: The Exhibition” is on display at the Arlington Museum of Art until April 5. This exhibition gives fans an opportunity to see more than 60 meticulously crafted costumes from all eight seasons.
“Game of Thrones” is a fantasy show that follows the world of Westeros, and the nine noble houses that make up the territory. Two of the most notable houses are Stark and Lannister, and they are enemies from the very start of the series. Through the eight seasons the audience follows the never-ending betrayals and battles for who sits on the Iron Throne and rules over all the houses.
One important member of the universe is Daenerys Targaryen. She is known as the mother of dragons as she raises dragons to try and secure her seat on the throne.
This exhibition is on display for the first time in the United States. Previously, costumes and props from “Game of Thrones” were only displayed in London during a 2024 exhibition. So, I had to check it out for myself and see what the hype is all about.
A dark room with the intense orchestral music from the soundtrack flows through the space, setting the tone for the first display, Ned Stark’s decapitated head from Season 1.
There are a series of rooms highlighting a specific scene and characters. While it was cool to see a few characters like Arya Stark and The Hound, I found that the majority of the exhibition felt like Lannister propaganda. No other house is highlighted the way the Lannisters are. The first three rooms are just Lannister after Lannister, from Tyrion’s small suits to Tywin’s funeral garments and ending with the incestuous twins Cersei and Jaime. Cersei herself had 10 dresses on display.
As a member of House Stark and loyal follower of the Mother of Dragons, I found it extremely odd and slightly insulting that Dany had only three dresses on display and the smallest plaque with details while Cersei got a whole room with a wall of information about her.
This was disappointing because the museum website highlighted Targaryen and Jon Snow with no mention of any Lannisters.
When one thinks of “Game of Thrones” they typically recall dragons, and those dragons were only possible because of Daenerys.
The exhibition also featured only one outfit worn by Snow. While it’s true that he didn’t have that many costumes to begin with, the one outfit on display wasn’t unique to him. It was a fur suit worn by all the Wildlings who lived beyond the wall. It would have been cool to see one of the massive fur cloaks he often wore throughout the series.
With all my grievances and obvious loyalties set aside, this exhibition is a fun way to get out of the cold and nerd-out. The tickets are $25, which some might view as a bit expensive, but I believe it was worth it. Many visitors, including myself, went through the exhibition multiple times, finding something new each time. At the end there was even an Iron Throne to sit on and take photos.
The museum employees were very enthusiastic about the show, offering insider information that the average viewer wouldn’t know. Afterward, the gift shop had unique pieces of fan memorabilia available to purchase.
With the release of the new prequel “The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” this exhibition offers the perfect call back to the series that started it all.
