The Explorer's Club is a fictional organization featured on the Showtime period drama series Penny Dreadful. It represents the primary setting of the series with its headquarters being prominently featured in nearly every episode. It first appeared in the series premiere, "Night Work".
The Explorer's Club is an organization based out of London, England. It is headquartered in a square of townhouses owned by famed British explorer Sir Malcolm Murray at 4 Pall Mall. The placard for the Explorer's Club read:
The Explorer's Club
Established Major-General Robert Clive
First Baron Clive, KB. MDCCLIL
Members exclusively.
Murray invited Victor Frankenstein to become a member of the Explorer's Club, mostly due to Frankenstein's ability to accept things that go beyond the realm of science - a trait that Malcom not only valued, but required. Malcolm needed Frankenstein's expertise in helping him locate his missing daughter, Mina Murray, who hovered between the lands of the living, and the realm of the dead. Frankenstein had in interest and becoming part of some "occult club", and Murray responded that he likewise had no interest in forming one. However, aspects of Murray's offer's appealed to Frankenstein (not the least of which included an impressive sum of money), and he agreed to assist him.