Girl Power! Spice Girls at 30 Exhibition At The British Music Experience: 7 February – 8 September 2024
Girl Power! Spice Girls at 30 is a temporary exhibition at the British Music Experience, charting the history of the most important girl band in British history.
In March 1994 an ad was placed in The Stage asking “Are you street smart, extrovert, ambitious, and able to sing and dance?”. The rest is history. The Spice Girls debut single Wannabe topped the charts in 31 countries in 1996, they sold 80 million records and had nine UK Number One singles. The exhibition celebrates the story of how Sporty, Baby, Scary, Ginger and Posh became one of the most successful girl groups ever and enjoyed phenomenal global success.
Girl Power! Spice Girls at 30 tells the band’s story through outfits from the extraordinary collection of independent curator Liz West, who is the foremost collector of Spice Girls memorabilia and merchandise in the World. Liz’s Guinness World Record breaking collection boasts many iconic costumes all beautifully hand-made by international designers or specially commissioned by the Spice Girls themselves.
Liz began collecting Spice Girls memorabilia in 1996 when the girls first launched themselves onto the pop scene. As an impressionable 11-year-old, she was hooked as soon as they released their first single ‘Wannabe’. At that age all her friends and family would buy Spice Girls items for Birthday and Christmas presents. Initially Liz just collected albums, magazines and sticker books but after a year of chart successes she started buying singles and masses of official merchandise.
Everything was kept pristine in the packaging unlike her contemporaries who would use the items. Liz had a collector’s instinct from an early age, she would arrange and showcase proudly the boxed memorabilia on her bedroom shelves as a teenager.
Liz did not buy her first museum worthy piece until at Art School in Glasgow, armed with a student loan she purchased a top worn my Melanie C at the age of 19 via eBay. After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 2007, Liz pursued her idea of exhibiting her ever increasing Spice Girls collection in museums nationwide.
The outfits on display will be complemented by audio visual elements, including a stage show montage of Spice Girls hits and listening stations. The British Music Experience have a season of activity planned to support the exhibition including film screenings, conversations, acoustic music and a special quiz night. Finally, the Museum’s merch store will be selling a range of Spice Girls apparel and giftware.
Girl Power! Spice Girls at 30 is included with all general entry tickets purchased. All general entry tickets are valid for 12 months and each eligible visitor has the opportunity to support the Museum by Gift Aiding the cost of admission. Tickets can be purchased for the British Music Experience here.
