Michelle Le Maire writes:

Thanks to Tourism New Zealand and the Science Museum in London, British LOTR fans were able to celebrate the premiere of ROTK in style on 1 December.

Despite the heavy rain and early hour (07:30) about 100 guests, several in costume, turned up at the Science Museum to drink champagne and enjoy pictures of the red-carpet walk at the premiere in Wellington being beamed across to us (almost live!). The New Zealand High Commissioner gave a little speech to mark the occasion and we were all made to feel very welcome by all the Science Museum staff and the staff from Tourism New Zealand.

We even got a chance to wander about in the LOTR exhibition currently running at the Science Museum and to see all the wonderful costumes, weapons and armour on display. It’s well worth a visit if you are an LOTR fan and live in or near London because some of the costumes, particularly Gimli’s and Galadriel’s didn’t come across that well on screen, or else they were just more ornate and stunning in the flesh, so to speak. You will marvel at the detail in the helmets for instance, and remember to take a look at the leather strap at the back of Eomer’s helmet – it has his name embossed in the leather! So many treasures to see, so little time!

At our departure we were given goodie bags from TNZ containing LOTR mouse mat, Rough Guide to LOTR and some posters of NZ amongst other things.

Many thanks again to Ainsley Pope from TNZ and Matt Garrett at the Science Museum and their teams for giving London LOTR fans such a treat to mark this great occasion.