Visiting The Game Of Thrones Studio Tour: Discounted Entry + Walkthrough Tips

I had to take a few moments to prepare myself before entering into the Iron Throne room. A quick peek inside revealed saw a couple who looked like they were about to leave. If I waited a bit longer, I could make a dramatic entrance and have the final room to myself.

And oh was it worth it. I didn’t expect goosebumps, but I got them.

Between the dramatic music and the sight and sound of Drogon’s silhouette flying in the smoky aftermath of burning down King’s Landing and the Red Keep, the Iron Throne sat there as imposing as it was on the show. And still without anyone on it.

The scene, frozen in exhibition, is one of the final ones at the end of 8 long seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

While Croatia, Iceland, and Morocco might get all the love as far as filming locations, serious Game of Thrones fans will find the real pilgrimage is here at Linen Mill Studios and the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. This is the studio where most of the iconic interiors and scenes were actually filmed, and it’s been since transformed into a museum-style tour that’s rich with sets, props, and behind the scene insight from the show.

Getting To The Game Of Thrones Studio Tour

If you’re in Belfast, the studio is just 30 minutes away. It’s 90 minutes away from Dublin.

You can’t drive directly to the studio, but there’s a parking area at The Boulevard Shopping Outlet (exact location) in Bainbridge, and a free shuttle bus that whisks you 10 minutes away to Linen Mills Studio.

Alternatively, official coach transfers provide convenient round-trip options from both cities, including your entry ticket.

It’s even possible to arrange onwards travel. That’s what I did. I timed my visit with my departure from Belfast and instead of backtracking to Belfast to catch a train to Dublin, it was faster to go from the studio directly to Dublin with their transfer service.

What To Expect At The Game of Thrones Studio Tour

The tour kicks off dramatically with a surprise that I won’t spoil in any way.

It’s best experienced first-hand, without any expectations or spoilers. It was so good, I went to experience it a second time after finishing the tour.

Authentic Sets And Props From The Show

What distinguishes this experience from other exhibitions is that these are the real sets and props used during filming and not replicas. You walk the same halls of Winterfell that all the actors walked through, stand in the same Dragonstone war room, and eventually end up beneath the real Iron Throne.

It’s fun when you recognize pieces from the show and then notice details impossible to fully appreciate on screen. Standing next to Gwendoline Christie’s massive armor, you get a sense how imposing Brienne of Tarth truly was.

The enormous skull of Balerion, crafted from foam yet looking alarmingly realistic, did not require any CGI help at all. That massive skull, measuring 32 ft long, highlights the incredible scale and craftsmanship involved.

Behind The Scenes Insights

One of the my favorite parts of the walk through is seeing all the prep work involved from very department. Between the sets, dedicated departmental sections dive into what it took to bring each aspect of the show from concept to reality.

Original storyboards, crew interviews, miniature models, and much more give you an idea of how meticulous the planning must have been for every episode.

Getting up close with the costume, jewelry, and weapons lets you see the astounding level of detail that went into each character’s wardrobe across the different seasons. I found it crazy that there were handwoven fabrics, intricate embroideries, and realistic armor pieces, even for background characters that appear on the screen for a mere few seconds.

Interactive Elements

Throughout, there are several interactive exhibits adding an element of fun, especially for kids. You can scan yourself into a 3D White Walker transformation, shoot arrows arcade style to defend the Wall, and even become one of the many faces in the eerie Hall of Faces. These little touches enhance the overall experience and I didn’t find them gimmicky at all. The Hall of Faces one was really cool.

Walkthrough Highlights

Here’s a quick overview of all the areas you’ll pass through.

Beyond The Wall: Literally step into the frozen realm north of the Wall with sets and props from icy scenes involving the wildlings, White Walkers, and the Night’s Watch. Wun Wun makes an appearance as well as the Night King. And the famous Hold The Door scene is replicated here too.

Art and Visual Design: Original concept art and detailed storyboards showcase how pivotal scenes were carefully planned from sketches before filming began.

Castle Black: Realistic sets depicting daily life at the Wall, including the Night’s Watch barracks, and the table where Jon Snow comes back to life.

Set Decoration and Props: Intricate props, banners, scrolls, furniture, and countless objects crafted specifically for the worlds of Westeros and Easteros.

Mess Hall: There’s a restaurant and cafe serving up many traditional English dishes. The afternoon tea set looked good. A little secret: if you go out to the smoking area and peak over the fence, you can see the Great Kraken ship.

Winterfell Crypt: The Stark family crypt beneath Winterfell, surrounded by statues of the ancestors.

Winterfell: The main Winterfell hall room with a ridiculous amount of character costumes. Funny that the great hall looks smaller in real life, but it’s the same one and there’s even a spot where the fake blood from Littlefinger’s throat was stained into the ground.

Dragonstone: The war room at Dragonstone. One of the most realistic sets crafted to resemble the volcanic basalt formations inspired by the nearby Giant’s Causeway.

Costume Gallery: The costumes are scattered throughout the entire studio tour, but here you learn about the smaller details and motifs in everything from the jewelry to the embroidery and handwoven fabrics.

Special Effects and Visual Effects: Behind-the-scenes demonstrations and displays explaining how the show’s dragons, direwolves, giants, and epic battle scenes were created using advanced visual effects. Some cool interactive exhibits here.

Prosthetics: Displays of actual prosthetics used on set from the fake hands and faces to the full replication of dead characters. One was so real, I thought I was looking at one of the real actors lying there dead.

House of Black and White: The entrance to temple of the Faceless Men. Inside, you see the real Hall of Faces columns with its display of over 600 unique masks. Scan your face and join the wall.

Armoury and Weapons: A vast collection of iconic weapons and armor from the series, including many of the named swords and the impressive dragon-slaying Scorpion bow.

King’s Landing: The interiors and sets of the King’s Landing, including the courtyard map of Westeros.

Red Keep and Iron Throne: The dramatic final rooms starting with the Red Keep and walking directly into the Throne Room with the Iron Throne itself waiting amidst the ruins and ashes of King’s Landing.

Final Thoughts

I was going to go anyway because it’s one of the biggest attractions near Belfast. Even as a fan, I didn’t expect to get so immersed into the world of Game of Thrones, but I ended up spending about 3 hours here. As a photographer, I really appreciated the behind the scenes bits even more than the props and sets. I’ve visited many of the filming locations on my travels.

While it’s nice to see real world locations brought into Westeros, it was even cooler to see Westeros brought into the real world.

Booking Links + Discounted Entry

If you’re visiting without a car, I recommend booking with the roundtrip transfers to go directly to the studio. I checked and it’s cheaper than arranging transportation yourself. Check the different ticketing platform for the best price. I was able to find a discounted entry from GetYourGuide, while Viator had the same price as the Linen Mills Studio.

Studio Tour Without Transfer: Viator | GetYourGuide | Linen Mills Studio

Studio Tour With Roundtrip Transportation from Belfast: Viator | GetYourGuide | Linen Mills Studio

Studio Tour with Roundtrip Transportation from Dublin: Viator | GetYourGuide | Linen Mills Studio

Updated on June 14, 2025