The X-Files is one of the most iconic television series ever created, and also one of the most enduring. It began in 1993, and there have been 218 episodes over 11 seasons since then. The sci-fi drama created by Chris Carter made stars out of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, and also gathered a mass cult audience spanning numerous countries. This helped the franchise to flourish, and there are tons of related media and merchandise. Now, collectors of X-Files memorabilia are looking to open a museum in Saratoga.
What do We Know About the Museum?
The X-Files was one of the most iconic series of the 1990s, but it seemed as if it would be gone for good when the ninth season wrapped in 2001. It returned in 2016 and 2018, though, with two more seasons, and proved that there was still a huge audience for alien action. Indeed, that 10th season reboot attracted an average audience of 13.6 million viewers.
Some fans have stuck with the series throughout its near 30-year history, and have ended up collecting a lot of memorabilia during this time. Of the many fans who have built up their Mulder and Scully collections, Jim and Kelly Thornton are said to have the most extensive collection of X-Files merchandise on the planet.
The Saratoga-based couple are the owners of the X-Files Preservation Collection, which has become so large that they are registering it as a non-profit so that they can open a museum. The Thorntons are currently in the process of gathering the capital required to complete their venture through crowdfunding.
Merchandise and Spinoffs Over the Years
Collectors like the Thorntons tend to be super fans of a series or film who go on to purchase and store every bit of related merchandise in the franchise. Generally, the longer something has been going, the more content and products are released.
There have been a wide variety of X-Files games since the release of Fox Interactive’s The X-Files: Unrestricted Access in 1997. The X-Files: The Game came out on desktop computers the following year, and The X-Files: Resist or Serve hit the PlayStation 2 in 2004. More recently, there has been The X-Files slot game from Playtech, which is one of the many TV-themed slots at Buzz Bingo. The game fits the popular framework of slot games which is being recognizable and nostalgia-inducing.
In terms of physical collectibles, there are a few famous X-Files-based tabletop games like The X-Files Trivia Game in 1997 and The X-Files Board Game in 2015. Other items that can be stored and saved include a vast amount of comics, books, and VHS releases.
The X-Files has had such a huge impact on popular culture and has remained popular for so long that it deserves its own museum. Hard-core X-Files fans will enjoy seeing all the memorabilia which has been released over the years.
