BBC Studios Unveils Doctor Who Pop-up Experience at Comic-Con 2025

​BBC Studios has announced an expansive Doctor Who presence at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, offering fans the chance to step into the Whoniverse like never before. From July 24th to 27th, Whovians in San Diego will gain access to UNIT’s top-secret Black Archive – a classified facility where the most dangerous alien artifacts and forbidden knowledge are stored – through a fully immersive pop-up experience including props and artifacts from the last sixty years of the show. Fans around the world will be able to join the adventure with an exclusive digital offering of the Black Archive on the Doctor Who website. The experience on the ground will also include an exclusive merchandise shop, and a transportive photo experience inside the Fifteenth Doctor’s TARDIS.

While in San Diego, fans can also visit the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibition which came to the US for the first time this year at Comic-Con Museum and features even more original props and costumes, along with a chance to explore the science behind Doctor Who.

Step inside unit’s top-secret facility: The Black Archive

Fans will be granted clearance into UNIT’s legendary Black Archive as seen in the 50th Anniversary special ‘The Day of the Doctor’ – brought to life in stunning detail at The Harbor Club in the Gaslamp District. Inside this classified facility, visitors will uncover hidden clues and alien artifacts linked to the Whoniverse including easter eggs from the highly anticipated Doctor Who spinoff, ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’.

Open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Thursday 24th to Saturday July 26th and 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday July 27th, this immersive experience will invite fans to enrol into UNIT and receive their official Level 1 clearance badge to access the Black Archive. The exploration will feature iconic props from across the Doctor Who universe, including terrifying monsters such as a Dalek Mutant, Cybermen and the Silence.

Every evening for two-hours (6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, July 24th - July 26th), the Black Archive will transform into a thrilling mission where fans will assist the Doctor by uncovering hidden clues and secrets from within the Whoniverse. Those brave recruits who were able to complete the mission will be rewarded with an exclusive SDCC prize.

In addition, the activation will feature an exclusive Doctor Who merchandise shop packed with all-new, limited-edition apparel and accessories celebrating over 60 years of Doctor Who, and an unforgettable photo experience where visitors can step inside the Fifteenth Doctor’s iconic TARDIS - giving fans the chance to capture their own moment in time and space.

While in San Diego, fans can also explore the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibition at Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park. This interactive exhibit delves into the science behind the series, offering a deeper look at the Time Lord’s adventures through time and space. With a wealth of original screen used props and costumes, along with exclusive in-depth recorded interviews from scientists and FX crew from the show, this is a must-see exhibition. And in a world exclusive, for the first time ever, visitors will have the opportunity to see all seventeen of the Doctor's costumes displayed together. For tickets and information, please visit: comic-con.org/museum.

Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction is produced by Sarner International under license from BBC Studios

“We’re incredibly proud to bring the Whoniverse to life at San Diego Comic-Con in such an ambitious and immersive way,” said Callie Bryan, head of marketing, Doctor Who. “From the Black Archive to the TARDIS, exclusive merchandise and a global digital mission, this experience is designed to celebrate the legacy of Doctor Who while inviting fans everywhere to be part of its future.”