Star Wars on show

We check out the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibition at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum - and it rocks!

It’s a testament to the enduring nature of Star Wars’ attraction that four crappy movies and a fair to middling TV show cannot kill it off. All of us in the office cannot help but thrill to the sound of a lightsaber firing up, or get a militant spring in our step when we listen to the Imperial March. It’s that thrill that makes the Powerhouse Museum’s new Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit such a guilty pleasure.

Ostensibly, the exhibit is about showing modern technologies in the light of the imaginary ones from Star Wars. One display features the Wampa beast and Snowtroopers that featured in the snowy Hoth sequence from The Empire Strikes Back, while also talking about modern sub-zero environments and the lengths that we need to go to to survive them. Similarly, a display of Darth Vader’s black armour from A New Hope is accompanied by an interactive display on bionics and human-machine interfaces.

A lot of the interactivity is aimed at children, but if the number of press and other media day invitees we saw messing about with lego maglev trains and toy robots is anything to go by, it’s a show for all ages.

But the real draw for any fan of the series are the models and costumes on display, as well as a host of other props.

The crowning glory – at least in our humble yet geeky opinion – would have to be the original Millennium Falcon model. It’s a glorious piece of work, and seeing the iconic spaceship up close gives you a real appreciation for the model maker’s art. The intricate detailing, from battle damage to small decals that you can’t even see on screen, it’s worth the price of admission in its own right. You can even pick out the original model kits some of the parts came from!

Other great models include the Star Destroyer from A New Hope, a TIE Fighter, an X-Wing and various walkers from AT-ATs to newer (older?) designs from the more recent trilogy. Each set of models is accompanied by a video presentation detailing its creation and use in the films. There aren’t many new insights to be gleaned – especially if you’re already an in depth Star Wars tech geek – but it certainly rounds out the presentation.

The costumes are pretty neat too, and Han Solo’s duds are as cool close up as they are on the man himself. There are wookie suits, as well, plus various Jedi robes and Stormtrooper armour suits. Accompanying the exhibit on press day, and apparently present throughout the show’s duration, were a lot of costumed Star Wars enthusiasts. These guys were just as fascinated by the chance to see the clothing and armour they recreate up close!

A lot of props and droids are also on display, and we can easily say the Interrogation Droid from A New Hope is just as menacing in person. All up it’s an exhibition worth catching – and you might even learn a thing or two!

Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney from December to April 2008, and then goes to Scienceworks, in Melbourne, from June to November 2009. Tickets are $24, and can be booked online.