This amber spyglass, and the seed pods on display in the case above, were used by the character Dr Mary Malone in the BBC HBO series His Dark Materials. In the Mulefa world, Mary discovers she can combine seedpod oil with pieces of amber in order to see Dust/ Shadow-particles for herself.
And when she looked through everything was changed. She could see Shadows.... sparkles of light, floating and drifting and sometimes moving in a current of purpose. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
Seed pods from the mulefa world featured in the BBC HBO production of His Dark Materials with Bad Wolf.
To coincide with these film objects going on display, the museum is running schools sessions linked to His Dark Materials. These encourage students to reflect on the literary themes and characters in Philip Pullman's novels alongside usual interactions with the collections in the Museum and thinking about the many worlds represented through objects within the displays.
His Dark Materials series 3 production still showing Mary Malone using the amber spyglass. BBC | Bad Wolf | HBO
His Dark Materials series 3 production still showing a young mulefa. BBC | Bad Wolf | HBO
His Dark Materials series 3 production still showing a family of mulefa using seedpods. BBC | Bad Wolf | HBO
Seeing Mary Malone in the other universe just makes me unbearably excited to see the mulefa and how the BBC has chosen to portray them!
Ayesha, Y12, Oxford Spires Academy
I can’t wait to see the Amber Spyglass in action in the show! In the book, Mary Malone is able to see Shadow particles or 'Dust' by coating the lens with oil from the mulefa’s seed pods.
Freddie, Y8, Magdalen College School