Princess Diana Museum: An unheard-of royal sanctuary with a twist

Princess Diana left an indelible mark on every corner of the culture touched by her memorable grace. And to celebrate the incomparable royal personality, one of her devotees chose to preserve it in a unique fashion.

The Princess Diana Museum, founded by Renae Plant (described by PEOPLE as a "devoted Diana admirer”), has become a one-of-a-kind destination for all things Diana.

Notable for operating outside official royal capacity, the exhibition is home to several pieces from the former Princess of Wales’ personal collection, and much more.

Background

Plant launched the museum with a steadfast approach to her subject.

Hoping to preserve as many of Diana’s personal wardrobe collection as she could, the founder and curator left no stone unturned in her quest.

“When you see them go for so little, you can’t not preserve them, if that makes any sense. Because we’re not rich. We’re not wealthy. This is all from donations. We always mortgage our house when we do this kind of stuff,” she told PEOPLE back in June — around the same time Renae Plant also attended Julien’s Auctions’ Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection in Los Angeles.

At the sale, Plant was able to walk away with 35 of the Princess’ strikingly iconic ensembles, at the hefty price of nearly $1.9 million.

Today, the museum accommodates “more than 2,700 pieces over the last decade, ranging from Diana’s baby shoes to a plunging beaded Versace column gown”, per Town & Country Magazine.

A Virtual Feast

If you were hoping to visit the impressive exhibition, hold your breath — the twist is that Princess Diana Museum is entirely virtual for the time being, “with plans for a physical display in the works.”

The museum’s official website states, “Displayed in a 3D interactive environment, the virtual museum spans Diana’s lifetime, from early childhood through her teenage years and until her tragic death, depicting her incredible life & legacy.”

Furthermore, the virtual tour also features an avatar guide in English and Spanish, a live location map, as well as a “community chat” feature which “allows you to connect to other museum guests in ‘real time’ either by text, chat or video.”