Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination

The Powerhouse Museum will be taking a trip to a galaxy far, far away when it opens its most anticipated exhibition of the year - Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. With hundreds of props and costumes used in the movies on display, and given the fussiness of Star Wars fans, this show was always going to need a curator who can tell a Jawa from an Ewok. Kerrie Dougherty is ready for the task. "Let's just say I was there on the opening night of Star Wars in Sydney in 1977, in a front row seat," she laughs. "I've been a fan since the series began." To add to her immaculate credentials, she curated the previous Powerhouse Star Wars exhibition The Magic of Myth, and has co-authored several Star Wars reference books. Capable hands indeed.

Where Science Meets Imagination goes beyond the Hollywood magic of the movies, delving into how science fiction and reality interact in the field of technology. However, don't expect a lightsaber demonstration, says Dougherty. "It's not so much the science of Star Wars as using Star Wars as a gateway to talk about ideas and issues in science and technology generally. It's not one of these things where they are trying to take supposed science in Star Wars and then find some way to say that it's real. What the exhibition is doing is saying that in Star Wars you've seen things like speeders that use repulsorlift technology. Well, in the real world we don't have anti-gravity hovering technology, but here are the ways in which scientists and engineers are looking at trying to develop something similar, and these are the kinds of technologies we have to do it with."

The exhibition focuses on two main areas in the Star Wars universe; robotics and levitation technology. Packed full of interactive exhibits including films and computer terminals, the primary attraction are two 'design labs', where the members of the public get to try their hand at recreating technology seen in the movies. "One of (the design labs) focuses on magnetic levitation, and you can ride on a one-person hovercraft, build a magnetic levitation vehicle and test it out on a track," says Dougherty. "The other is robotics themed, and you can design your own R2D2."

Above and beyond the hands-on aspect, there is also the opportunity for fans of the movies to examine such famous objects as Princess Leia's white robe and Luke Skywalker's landspeeder. "It's great for visitors to see the costumes and props close up, and really see the amount of creativity and intricate work that goes into making the models and the props. In fact, it's an underlying sub-theme in this exhibition. There were a lot of interviews with the filmmakers and a lot of different scientists and engineers, and in both cases they talk about how imagination spurred them into doing what they have done, be it making an entertaining movie or developing new technologies. Certainly a lot of people in science, technology and engineering will tell you they were inspired by Star Wars to get into their scientific fields in the first place."

The exhibition will delight fans of the movies, but Dougherty maintains it also has a broad appeal. "You don't have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy it. There's so much in it, and Star Wars is really just the entry point. If you're a Star Wars fan you'll love it, but it's very easy to get into it if you aren't."