LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB Fox 41) -- Trekkies and Trekkers alike have a chance to travel through space in the Louisville Science Center.
Sunday was opening day for the new Star Trek exhibition, and fans had fun "energizing" on the transporter and looking through old props.
The exhibition ties science into themes from the show, like space travel and health innovation.
"We have people from all over. We had people lined up at 5:30 this morning waiting to meet Robert Picardo, who played the doctor on Star Trek Voyager. So everyone's really loving it. There's a lot of children bringing their parents who watched the original series, and the kids watched the 2009 movie. So there's a little bit of something for everyone in the exhibit," said Mark Sieckman, Louisville Science Center.
The Star Trek exhibit is part of the science center's effort to bring together pop culture and science.
It's open through May 22nd.
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By: Dave Creek, Web Producer
LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB Fox 41) -- An exhibition at the Louisville Science Center focuses on one of entertainment's biggest "franchises," Star Trek, and looks at the relationship between science fiction and science fact.
The original Star Trek series premiered in September 1966, and while its sets and special effects look clunky by today's standards, anyone examining the communicators Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock used to keep in touch with the Starship Enterprise would be struck by their similarity to today's cell phones.
Eighteen years later, Captain Picard and the crew of another Enterprise, on the sequel series Star Trek: The Next Generation, routinely obtained information from PADDs (Personal Access Display Device) which look oddly like today's iPads.
"Star Trek: The Exhibition" opens Sunday, January 23rd, at the Louisville Science Center, and while the emphasis is on the fictional storylines and favorite characters, museum officials also hope visitors will come away with an appreciation of how science fiction can anticipate science fact.
Jo Haas, the Executive Director of the Louisville Science Center, tells Fox41.com, "Our mission is to improve and increase science literacy in our region...Much of the signage and interpretive material around the props and costumes talk about innovation, talk about science, and those connections."
For more information on "Star Trek: The Exhibition," click here.
But the exhibit doesn't skimp on fun -- it gives people the chance to sit in Captain Kirk's chair and have their picture taken with a choice of backgrounds related to the show. They can also view props such as weapons and the above-mentioned communicators, as well as models used during the filming of the various TV shows and movies.
A "History of the Future" display looks at the Star Trek universe from the time of the TV show Star Trek: Enterprise (it was the most recent show, but was a prequel to all the others) through the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, as well as the movies.
The public's first chance to see the exhibition will be Saturday night at the "Science With a Twist: An Evening Aboard the Enterprise" event. Actor Robert Picardo, who played "The Doctor" on Star Trek: Voyager, is the special guest. That event may be close to selling out.
For more information on "An Evening Aboard the Enterprise," click here.
Picardo will also make a special appearance this Sunday, opening day of the exhibition, signing autographs at 1 p.m. Those autographs cost $20.
