Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Feature: Celebrating 30 Years of Lara Croft at Derby’s Tomb Raider Exhibit
A Push Square writer, whose surname happens to be Croft, visited a new exhibition at Pickford's House museum in Derby marking the 30th anniversary of the Tomb Raider franchise. The city played a key role in the series' history, as original developer Core Design was based there, and the exhibit transforms parts of the museum into a recreation of Lara Croft's fictional home, Croft Manor, showcasing memorabilia and development materials from across the games' history.
The exhibition is split into three rooms: the first traces Core Design's output from the original 1996 Tomb Raider through to 2003's The Angel of Darkness, displaying original development computers, design documents and a PS1 devkit; the second covers Lara Croft's appearances in film and TV, including the Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander movies; and the third looks at the series' life after Core Design closed in 2010 following its 2006 acquisition by Rebellion, featuring items from the PS3-to-PS4 reboot trilogy and playable classic Tomb Raider stations.
In short
- Derby museum marks Tomb Raider's 30th anniversary with new exhibition
- Pickford's House recreates Croft Manor with games memorabilia
- Exhibit charts Core Design's history through to modern Tomb Raider titles
Explained simply
Tomb Raider is a video game series that began in 1996 and follows the adventures of Lara Croft, an archaeologist who explores ancient ruins and seeks out treasures around the world. The franchise became one of gaming's most recognisable and enduring properties over three decades, spawning numerous sequels, films and television adaptations. The series is now marking its 30th anniversary.
Derby holds particular significance in the franchise's history because Core Design, the studio that created the original Tomb Raider and developed the series for its first seven years, was based in the city. The exhibition at Pickford's House museum celebrates this connection by transforming parts of the venue into a recreation of Croft Manor, Lara's fictional home, and displaying development materials and memorabilia from across the games' history.
The exhibition is divided into three sections tracing the franchise's evolution: the first covers Core Design's original run from 1996 to 2003 with original computers and design documents on display, the second explores Lara Croft's appearances in film and television, and the third focuses on the series' continuation after Core Design closed in 2010, featuring items from recent remakes and playable classic games.