The Wright Times

Issue date: 12/1/07 Section: Arts & Culture

Media Credit: Joann Gonzales Very well this exhibit is

Star Wars: Where Science
Meets Imagination, a new exhibit
currently being held at the
Museum of Science and Industry,
was designed to bridge the
gap between science fiction and
science reality, leaving viewers
wondering if the scientific fantasies
from the films could be
the technology of tomorrow.
But does the audience truly
flock to the museum to learn
about these technological advancements
or do they just go
to catch a glimpse of the Millennium
Falcon?

Topics covered in the exhibit
include: space exploration,
mechanical prosthetics and
implants, robots or "droids,"
and levitating vehicles. The
exhibit's official website says
visitors can, "explore transportation
in the Star Wars films as
well as new and future models
of travel." The new and future
models discussed mostly in the
exhibit regard to planes and
other aircrafts.

Along with transportation,
the museum invites museum goers
to discover the bond
linking machines and humans
in film and in the real world.
When admitted into the exhibit,
visitors are given the chance
to visualize, create and assess new and different technologies
in several demonstrations such
as the virtual simulation where
you build a droid's face in order
to depict certain moods
and in the Robot Theater. The
Robot Theater is a presentation
by the beloved human-cyborg
relations droid, C-3PO, where
he explains what it takes to
be considered a good robot,
like having the ability to sense
which are "the means by which
real-world robots and droids
interact with the world," as
said on msichicago.org.

Also on display are more
than 80 different props and
original costumes from all six
movies, some narrated with
behind the scene interviews
with the filmmakers. These
artifacts include the costumes
of Mace Windu, Chewbacca,
Han Solo, Princess Leia, Sand
People also known as Tusken
Raiders, and the awe-inciting,
Darth Vader. Different props
on display for viewers are laser
blasters and the Jedi's weapon
of choice, the light saber.

The touring exhibit opened
on October 27, 2005, in Boston.
Star Wars: Where Science
Meets Imagination was developed
by the Museum of Science

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