It takes a lot of thought and care to create an exhibit as extensive as “Elvis at The O2.”
“Elvis at The O2: The Exhibition of His Life” is the largest Elvis retrospective in Europe, and it’ll open in London on Dec. 12. The nine-month exhibit will showcase more than 300 artifacts from the Presley Family’s Graceland Archives, some of which have never been exhibited outside of Graceland in Memphis.
Graceland's archivists prepare Elvis' American Eagle jumpsuit to be sent to London for the "Elvis at The O2" exhibit.
“Elvis at The O2” chronicles the rise of the rock ‘n’ roll icon and how Elvis impacted pop culture around the world through his music, movies and personal style.
Angie Marchese, Graceland’s director of archives, decided to start at the beginning of Elvis’ story.
A few of Elvis' records are ready to be shipped to London.
“First you develop a story line. We met with several design firms, told them what we were looking for and how we want to best represent Elvis. Our goal is to have an immersive exhibit one that really grabs the guest and draws them into the story. So we picked out artifacts that helped tell that story - pieces that really had meaning. We want the visitor to get not only Elvis the entertainer, but to see Elvis the son, the father, the friend. We want the visitor to really understand who he was and why he is still so relevant today,” she said.
To tell the story about the King, you also have to tell the story of the King’s castle.
“We wanted to give the guest at The O2 an authentic Graceland experience and leave them wanting to learn and see more,” she said.
These are two of Elvis' Tom Jones 45s.
Some of Marchese’s favorite pieces are in The O2 exhibition.
“They are so personal,” she said, “like Elvis’ 1st grade crayon box, his graduation program and tassel, a dress of Gladys’, his wallet with photos of Lisa in it. These are things that really showcase Elvis the man.”
Her favorite part of The O2 experience so far? “The best part is getting to pick out all of the amazing photos we will feature in the exhibit, editing together the video content to help bring each area to life and putting together the closing concert experience.”
A pair of Elvis' boots are prepared to travel to London.
The first collection of artifacts is almost packed now, and soon everything will be ready for Dec. 12.
“All of the artifacts have had the conditioning reports done, the images have been taken and they have been prepped for display,” she said. “Now it is time to ship everything over and watch it all come together.”
Click here to learn more about the exhibit and to buy your tickets, which go on sale at 9 a.m. on November 7.