A Costume Drama at Blair Castle
Exhibition overview
New for 2026, A Costume Drama offers visitors the opportunity to marvel at an impressive selection of professionally designed costumes from some of the country’s most popular TV programmes and cinematic productions.
What sets this exhibition apart from other similar exhibitions, which often link up with theatrical costume designers to display costumes from well-known productions, is that each outfit on display here is carefully compared and contrasted with actual clothes worn throughout the centuries, by members of the Murray family whose ancestral home is Blair Castle.
The exhibition, included with a castle ticket will open to visitors on Wednesday 1st April 2026 and runs through to 30th October 2026.
Accessibility: A Costume Drama is displayed across the top two floors of Blair Castle, which is unfortunately inaccessible to wheelchair users.
We do have a second exhibition new for 2026 about James Hutton and Glen Tilt which is located in the Banvie Hall on the ground floor and is accessible to all.
Featured costumes – TV and film
‘Victoria’ TV Series | Gown worn by Jenna Coleman, for the Coronation Sequence in a programme about the early rule of Queen Victoria (with some scenes shot at Blair Castle),
‘Emma’ 2020 film | A saffron yellow silk and wool pelisse dress worn by Anya Taylor-Joy
‘Downton Abbey’ TV Series | A blue dress worn by Lady Sybil Crawley in Series 1, alongside a Norfolk jacket worn by her father Lord Grantham.
‘The Duchess’ 2008 film | The wedding dress of Kiera Knightly’s character is on display,
‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ TV Series | An iconic white ladies-in- waiting dress worn in the popular Bridgerton spin off.
Blair Castle costumes
Several dresses are on display that explore how costume designers draw inspiration from real historical dress.
These rare pieces include dresses worn by Anne, Duchess of Atholl in 1844, Lady Charlotte, daughter of the 2nd Duke of Atholl, and Duchess Kitty, who became Scotland’s first ever female MP.
Each grouping of costumes within ‘A Costume Drama at Blair Castle’, is accompanied by an explanatory information board which sets out the background to all clothing, gives the names of the designers, and explains how and why the costumes have been matched with the actual archived clothes.
The Eglington Tournament
Visitors are also able to access some never before seen outfits created for members of the Murray family for an ambitious re-enactment of a Medieval Tournament, known as The Eglinton Tournament, which took place in 1839 at the castle.
The 19th Century upper classes were fascinated with the Middle Ages. It was decided to hold a revival of a medieval joust at Blair Castle, to which thousands of spectators would come. With all the spectacle of ceremony, costume and display, this really was one of the most ambitions pageants of its time.
The Eglington Tournament costumes
Special costumes were created for Lord Glenlyon, and his entourage, with rare surviving examples now on display.
On display is a tartan style doublet and breeches which were worn by the Lord at the fancy dress ball on the evening of the Tournament. Combining Medieval reference with 19th Century taste, they’re made from navy silk and velvet, woven with satin to create a tartan effect.
Also displayed is a Tudor style, richly patterned brocade bodice, woven with gold thread and trimmed with velvet ribbon along with a young page’s costume, made from blue silk, trimmed with gold brocade ribbon, cut glass gems and ruched silk detailing. This elaborate creation borders on the theatrical for what is a child’s role in a pageant.