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His Dark Materials exhibition opens in Oxford

BBC Dafne Keen as LyraBBC
Dafne Keen plays the central character Lyra in the BBC's adaptation of His Dark Materials

Props and costumes from the BBC's adaption of His Dark Materials have gone on display at museums in Oxford.

A golden compass-like alethiometer, an amber spyglass and a subtle knife are among items on show at the Pitt Rivers Museum, the History of Science Museum and The Story Museum.

Author Philip Pullman lives in the city and his acclaimed trilogy of stories was inspired by places in Oxford.

The third series of the TV dramatisation is now on BBC iPlayer.

BBC/HBO CostumesBBC/HBO
Costumes from the series are part of the exhibition

His Dark Materials comprises three critically acclaimed novels - Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass - which have since been adapted for television.

The trilogy follows Lyra Belacqua, played by Dafne Keen, an orphan brought up in Oxford, who lives in a parallel universe in which science, theology and magic are entwined.

Penguin/Random House Philip PullmanPenguin/Random House
Philip Pullman wrote three books in the His Dark Materials series

The Pitt Rivers Museum features in the The Subtle Knife, and was a filming location for the TV series.

An amber spyglass, seed pods from the Mulefa World and Mary Malone's Ching Sticks will be on display in various cases around the museum, integrated with the original historical displays that influenced the author.

Lead character Lyra's coat, hat and gloves, and Ruta Skadi's dress, armour and throwing nails as well as Mrs Coulter's locket also feature in the exhibition.

History of Science Museum Philip Pullman's own alethiometerHistory of Science Museum
The Story Museum has Philip Pullman's own alethiometer
BBC/HBO His Dark Materials ExhibitionBBC/HBO
Fans can see items from the trilogy on display

At The Story Museum on Pembroke Street, visitors can discover the subtle knife, the dress worn by witch Serafina Pekkala, and airmail letters written by John Parry to his wife.

They appear alongside existing Story Museum exhibits including Pullman's own alethiometer, which he had specially commissioned in 2005.

Dr Silke Ackermann, director of the History of Science Museum said it was "such a delight" to be collaborating on the exhibition.

"Personally I have been wanting to juxtapose Lyra's alethiometer with the stunning instruments in our collection that inspired Philip Pullman in a truly immersive display for many years, so for me this is a dream come true."

The displays run through to April 2023.

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