Even if you haven’t watched Murdoch Mysteries, you’ve likely heard the soundtrack, unknowingly visited a set location, or even used one of Detective Murdoch’s inventions like the “wheeled chair” or Constable George Crabtree’s “adhesive strips.”
Soon there will be a new opportunity to experience a Murdoch Mystery in downtown Kitchener starting November 11 at THEMUSEUM.
“These events provide a rare opportunity for devoted fans of one of Canada’s longest-running drama series to experience the music, costumes, inventions, props, and set recreations that have been essential elements of the Murdoch universe,” said Christina Jennings, in a press release on the Shaftesbury website.
A project six to seven years in the making, Marskell says THEMUSEUM is “thrilled” to be working with Shaftesbury Films, the creators of the Murdoch Mysteries show, which has entered its 16th season.
“Even though (demographics) can skew a bit older, people of all ages enjoy watching Murdoch,” said David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM. “The show takes little liberties but it's just fun, and entertainment at its core with that sprinkled in ‘whodunnit’ aspect.”
The opening weekend of the exhibit will be filled with numerous festivities, including events hosted by Detective William Murdoch himself, Yannick Bisson, as well as several members of the cast.
“We're really pleased to be able to have signed an agreement and represent Shaftesbury Films across Canada,” said Marskell. “I mean, the show films here a lot so I think people have perhaps come across the filming and there's a bit of an affinity there.”
The exhibit will feature a number of familiar scenes including the stationhouse, Murdoch's office, and the Morgue, as well as several artifacts, costumes, and more. Several Murdoch “inventions” will also be included.
A fan of the show, Marskell has always been aware of the Murdoch brand but the sold-out panel weekend confirmed that.
“t just seems to make a lot of sense that we, in working with Shaftesbury, just connected and we've built some credibility with some other exhibits that we have hosted and created with other partners. And it just all came together,” said Marskell. “It just took a couple of years to make that happen.”
Marskell grew up in Toronto and while his parents weren’t around when the show premiered, he knows they would have enjoyed the various historical aspects and familiar landmarks speckled throughout the show.
“I mean, it’s in its 16th season, it's a wonderful connection to Canada, and the history of Toronto and I think things all came together to form a show that is very relevant and obviously very, very popular,” said Marskell. “In my opinion, they take on important social conversations of today, like Indigenous issues, homosexuality, and use the show to comment on them.”
According to Marskell, while the region definitely has a soft spot for the show, it’s also an international favourite with over 100 countries tuning in weekly.
This exhibition represents the second event in a schedule of upcoming Murdoch Mysteries brand extensions that began with two sold-out 7-day tours across Kingston, Dundas, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Peterborough, along with an on-set visit to watch the series being filmed.
Other brand extensions include an augmented reality game Crime Nights set to launch in mid-October, and a live orchestral performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in March 2023.
Tickets and details are available online at THEMUSEUM.ca/murdoch-mysteries-the-experience.
Murdoch Mysteries: In Concert have tickets available at kwsymphony.ca
