Curious Incident author backs new detectives exhibition

The Story Museum in Pembroke Street will open Mystery Academy: School for Young Detectives on Saturday, an exhibition celebrating mysteries, detectives, sleuths and subterfuge.

The exhibition has been designed by the museum’s ‘Story Curators’, a group of young people aged between 12-16 who work with the museum’s professional production team.

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Mark Haddon, the author of bestseller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, said: “It’s wonderful that Curious Incident is going be part of the Mysteries Academy exhibition.

“Christopher is not a fan of novels, because they’re “lies about things which didn’t happen”. But he makes an exception for his hero Sherlock Holmes. 

“He is fascinated by puzzles, logic and deductive reasoning so I think he’d be thrilled to be making an appearance at The Story Museum.”

Inside the Story Museum in Oxford (Image: Andrew Walmsley)

Working in weekly after-school sessions in term time, researching ideas and developing the exhibition’s look and feel, museum curators played a central role in bringing the exhibition to life.

Conrad Bodman, The Story Museum’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to be opening this stunning new interactive exhibition, which celebrates the history and rich variety of the detective genre.

“Young people are at the heart of our collections and exhibitions, so who better to ask to design our next exhibition than the young designers of the future?

“Our Story Curators, whose curiosity, energy and talent has filled a brand-new exhibition that young detective fiction fans will love; it will also no doubt enthuse and entertain those new to the genre, and those who simply love great stories.”

The Story Museum in Oxford (Image: Andrew Walmsley)

Mystery Academy will invite the next generation of super-sleuths to step inside a fictional detective boarding school; follow clues, solve puzzles and build detective skills to solve the case – or simply explore an inventive exhibition space that includes a forensics lab, a library and even a hidden door concealed in a bookcase.

Author Robin Stevens, best known for her Murder Most Unladylike series, added: “‘I’m so delighted that my characters and I will be part of the upcoming Mysteries exhibition.

“The Story Museum is such a special place, and one I’ve loved for years – I’m delighted that they’re putting the mystery genre front and centre of this new exhibition. I know this will spark so many readers’ imaginations, and allow children to see themselves as the brave, smart, thoughtful detectives they all are!’ 

Author Sharna Jackson said it had been an honour to collaborate with the story curators on Mystery Academy.

She added: “It’s been such a collaborative, imaginative and fun process.

“Together we’ve created an experience where visitors arrive for a seemingly normal school open day, then quickly find themselves cast as detectives.”