tardis

The TARDIS, an acronym for Time And Relative Dimension In Space, is a fictional time machine and spacecraft in the Doctor Who universe. It is most closely associated with the Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, and serves as the Doctor's primary vehicle for time travel and exploration.

Exterior and interior: The exterior appears as a blue British police box, a result of the chameleon circuit historically failing to adapt to surroundings. Inside, the TARDIS is famously larger than its exterior, a property described as dimensionally transcendental. The main interior is built around a console room housing a central control console, often accompanied by a time rotor and a variety of levers, buttons, and displays, with additional rooms that can vary between incarnations.

Capabilities and operation: The TARDIS can travel through time and space, crossing vast distances and eras. It is typically piloted by the Doctor, though other explorers can use it, and it may accommodate companions or guests. In many stories the TARDIS is depicted as having a degree of sentience or autonomy, occasionally steering itself or resisting inappropriate commands.

In culture and media: Since its first television appearance in 1963, the TARDIS has become an enduring symbol of Doctor Who, appearing in television episodes, novels, comics, audio dramas, and fan works. Its iconic status is reinforced by phrases such as “bigger on the inside” and by its distinctive exterior and interior design, which have influenced science fiction imagery more broadly.