Educator Gallery Guides

Presenting nearly 60 hand-crafted costumes from the first six blockbuster Star Wars™ films, Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume uncovers the intricate processes and the remarkable artistry of George Lucas, the concept artists, and designers—and reveals the powerful connection between character and costume. On view at EMP Museum through October 2015.

Fifty years after a show with modest ratings called Star Trek first aired, its stories continue to echo worldwide. Its famous opening line, “To boldly go where no one has gone before…” encapsulates the heart of this iconic series: the dare to hope for a better world. As part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds presents the phenomenon, its enduring impact on our culture, and how Star Trek has inspired people to imagine, explore, and create. More so than spaceships and phasers, the one quality that defines Star Trek is optimism. Creator Gene Roddenberry imagined a 23rd century in which humanity had eliminated the divisions that characterized his own time. By using alien worlds, interspecies conflicts, and sci-fi premises to make statements about war, racism, and politics, Star Trek revolutionized the impact popular culture could have on our society. Today, Star Trek inspires art, science, architecture, fashion, and literature. Musicians form bands in tribute to Star Trek. Businesses name products after its planets and aliens. Popular TV shows and movies from Breaking Bad to Toy Story reference it. Star Trek is a language everyone speaks. Discover the beloved series all over again in this fully immersive exhibit, featuring more than 100 artifacts and props from the five Star Trek television series, spin-offs, and films, including set pieces from the original series like Captain Kirk’s command chair and the navigation console (on display for the first time to the public); Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and McCoy original series costumes; and the 6-foot U.S.S. Enterprise filming model from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Packed with more than 150 artifacts from iconic films and television shows, Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction invites you to experience the incredible range of storytelling found in science fiction: from Star Trek to H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, from big-budget Men in Black to the Philip K. Dick-inspired Blade Runner to the recent Battlestar Galactica series.

The World of WearableArt™ is New Zealand’s largest arts show. Each year, it creates a new theatrical world in which incredible garments are brought to life. Over 50,000 show-goers attend annually from around the world to witness this stunning spectacular of dance, theatre, music, and art. The garments on stage are the award-contending designs selected from worldwide entries in the annual World of WearableArt™ Awards competition, which poses the simple, but challenging brief to designers: to take “art off the wall and adorn [it] onto the human form.”

The World of WearableArt™ is New Zealand’s largest arts show. Each year, it creates a new theatrical world in which incredible garments are brought to life. Over 50,000 show-goers attend annually from around the world to witness this stunning spectacular of dance, theatre, music, and art. The garments on stage are the award-contending designs selected from worldwide entries in the annual World of WearableArt™ Awards competition, which poses the simple, but challenging brief to designers: to take “art off the wall and adorn [it] onto the human form.”

The most exciting and creative work in contemporary video game culture is featured in Indie Game Revolution. As the vanguards of the industry, the independent video game community is pushing past conventional boundaries and in the process expanding the definition and cultural impact of this fast growing medium. The exhibition features 20 playable games currently unreleased or released within the last year from independent developers, along with interpretive displays and films contextualizing the indie scene within the wider video game community. Through a dynamic and immersive space, EMP invites visitors to witness the present and future of gaming as it unfolds.

Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic invites visitors to explore hands-on installations such as world building, investigate character archetypes, make maps, and wake a life-size animatronic dragon. Visitors can view legendary artifacts from literature, video games, and comics; and celebrated costumes from TV and the silver screen including The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz, and Lord of the Rings.

Hear My Train a Comin’: Hendrix Hits London delves deep into one of the most important and formative time periods in Jimi Hendrix’s career. During a nine-month period beginning in September 1966, Hendrix released three hit singles, an iconic debut album, and transformed into one of the most popular performers in the British popular music scene. In June 1967 he returned to America a superstar. This exhibition furthers EMP Museum’s ongoing efforts to explore, interpret, and illuminate the life, career, and legacy of Jimi Hendrix. On view at EMP Museum through 2015.