First Game of Thrones studio tour to open this week

Giant dragon skulls, costume patterns and original props are among the many exhibits on show in the Dragonstone set on the Game of Throne Studio Tour – to which The Independent has been given exclusive access.

The world’s only permanent Studio Tour devoted to the series is set to open on Friday 4 February close to Banbridge in Northern Ireland.

The 73 episodes of the fantasy drama are set in a mythical world. Since the first was broadcast in 2011, Game of Thrones has become the most watched HBO series, and has gained worldwide acclaim.

Much of the action was shot in Northern Ireland. Numerous outdoor locations were used, but a significant amount of studio material was filmed at the Linen Mill Studios – which is where the new £24m attraction is located.

The Studio Tour aims to take visitors behind the scenes of the most expensive TV series of all time.

From Friday, fans will be able to take a journey through the making of Game of Thrones.

The attraction recreates some of the key settings – including Dragonstone, the castle on the island off the east coast of Westeros. The Chamber of the Painted Table has been recreated with a vast and intricate map.

Visitors will be able to walk through the actual film set for the Great Hall at Winterfell, which the new attraction has been built around.

“Northern Ireland is the home of Thrones,” said Claire Moles, head of marketing for the Studio Tour. “It happened right here.

“This is where the story really began … where over a third of all the Northern Ireland Game of Thrones filming took place.”

Visitors can experience interactive special effects – including having their image dressed and electronically placed in the middle of action scenes.

The location is beside the River Bann, west of the town of Banbridge. Visits will begin at The Boulevard, an out-of-town shopping centre, with visitors taken by bus to the Studio Tour.

Visitors to Northern Ireland can also join tours to some of the outdoor locations used for filming Game of Thrones. Six of TripAdvisor’s top 30 tours in Northern Ireland feature locations from the series.