The Brighton Toy and Model Museum has announced a new exhibition celebrating the 60th anniversary of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the classic Gerry and Sylvia Anderson series that first aired in 1967.
Opening on 10 July 2027, a date known among fans as Captain Scarlet Day, the exhibition will run for 12 months and bring together memorabilia, props, toys, studio models and collectibles from collections around the world. The project is being staged in partnership with Anderson Entertainment and is expected to feature a number of rarely seen items linked to the long-running franchise.
Captain Scarlet 60 is being co-curated by graphic designer and collector Malcolm Garrett MBE, Brighton Toy and Model Museum trustee Steve Crump OBE, and the team at Anderson Entertainment led by Jamie Anderson. Several well-known fans of the series, including Jonathan Ross, Chris Evans, Simon Cowell, David Baddiel, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes, have also pledged to lend personal items for display.
Jamie Anderson said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Brighton Toy and Model Museum on this exciting exhibition, one which will bring together a raft of Captain Scarlet exhibits, some of which will surprise fans and visitors alike, illustrating just how influential Captain Scarlet has been on pop culture, fashion and music like never before.”
The museum is also appealing to members of the public who may have Captain Scarlet memorabilia stored away. Organisers are looking for toys, models, collectibles and personal stories connected to the series that could potentially become part of the exhibition.
Jan Etches, manager of the Brighton Toy and Model Museum, said the exhibition represents a first for the museum and offers fans of Captain Scarlet and other Gerry and Sylvia Anderson productions an opportunity to explore the show’s enduring appeal. She added that the curatorial process is now underway and encouraged anyone with memorabilia or memories of the series to get in touch.
Located in four Victorian cellars beneath Brighton railway station, the Brighton Toy and Model Museum houses more than 12,000 items charting the history of British and European toy making. Organisers say the Captain Scarlet exhibition is being designed as an engaging and educational experience for visitors of all ages.
Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was set in the then-futuristic year of 2068 and followed Spectrum, an international security organisation tasked with maintaining peace across the globe. The series centred on a conflict between Earth and the mysterious Mysterons after a mission to Mars accidentally destroyed one of their cities. In retaliation, the Mysterons took control of Captain Black and launched a campaign against humanity.
Across 32 episodes, Captain Scarlet and his fellow Spectrum agents battled to stop a series of increasingly dangerous threats. The programme became known for its detailed model work, ambitious storytelling, memorable vehicles and distinctive soundtrack. It also featured a notably diverse cast for its era, including the Angel fighter pilots and Lieutenant Green, Spectrum’s Trinidadian computer expert.
Alongside other Anderson productions such as Thunderbirds, Stingray and Space: 1999, Captain Scarlet remains one of the most recognisable British science fiction series of the 1960s and continues to attract new audiences nearly six decades after its debut.
Gerry Anderson’s contribution to the entertainment industry was recognised in 2001 when he was awarded an MBE for services to the British film industry.
Tickets for the exhibition can be found via Brighton Toy and Model Museum bookings.
