The Star Wars Exhibition 2007 - 2009


 

From 2007 - 2010 this was the official website for the Star Wars Exhibit. Star Wars: The Exhibition was a traveling exhibit touring across Europe as part of the Star Wars 30th anniversary festivities stopping off in Portugal, Brussels, Sweden, Spain, Chile, and London. Visitor experienced a complete overview of the six Star Wars films with planet-themed rooms, illustrated with original movie props, costumes, vehicles such as a life-size Naboo N-1 star fighter and Anakin's pod racer, models, and other original concept art.

The content below is from the site's archived pages and other outside sources.

CIRCA 2007

Upon entering the magic world of Star wars, visitors are immediately immersed into the Star Wars universe as huge landscape images are projected to recreate the atmosphere of a particular world. Different exhibition zones walk you through the worlds of Tatooine, Naboo, Endor, Hoth, Coruscant, Kamino, Geonosis, Kashyyyk, Utapau and Mustafar.

In addition, visitors will find a projection room featuring a documentary on 30 Years of Visual Effects, which reveals just how far this art has come. Optical illusions, picture overlays, pyrotechnics, stunt tricks, and other visual and special effects are also explained in relation to the Star Wars films.

STAR WARS: THE EXHIBITION gives visitors, movie lovers and Star Wars fans a unique opportunity to learn and discover some of the secrets behind the making of this epic Saga. 

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An aside: This was such a cool exhibition. I was in London at the time visiting my sister. We took her three kids with us to see the exhibition. The kids were 12 yrs & 10 yes (the twins) old and had been brought up on the Star War movies as soon as my sister figured they were old enough. We all loved being able to visit the worlds of worlds of Tatooine, Naboo, Endor, Hoth, Coruscant, etc. A person dressed as an Imperial Stormtrooper greeted visitors. Of course we had our picture taken with him.

No Star Wars exhibition or convention would be complete without a space devoted to the films or a slideshow explaining the various processes in the special effects and the actual making of the films. The twins found the area and directed us to the room where the section of film that was being shown was the construction of the arena on Geonosis where Anakin, Amidala and Obi-Wan are thrown into to provide entertainment and gladiatorial-style entertainment for the planets inhabitants. In another room there were life size replicas of C3-P0 and R2-D2. Yes, we waited our turn to have pictures taken against a green screen. The final picture showed us with the droids against a backdrop of Tatooine. There we were with the droids standing next to all of us on an alien planet. I have that picture framed in my study. We saw various individuals, male and female, dressed as Jedi Knights. My sister and I ardent StarWar fans soaked it up. We eventually stepped out of the crowded exhibition and recharged with tea and sweets.



Jump ahead to 2020. With the Covid 19 pandemic devastating the world, a traveling exhibition such as the 2007 Star Wars would have had tp shut down. The UK has had some of the highest rates of covid compared to the rest of Europe, although New York City, where I sheltered in place was one of the worst hot spots at the beginning. Fortunately Gov Cuomo made the hard decisions and NY & NYC now has really flattened the curve for cases and deaths. As we enter Fall, more and more businesses are opening but people are afraid to go out to shop if they can do it online. TNG/Earthling's Bob Sakayama says online businesses currently hold a huge advantage, especially if they are well positioned in the search. "Everything has moved online, so the goal is to ramp up traffic, and Google can do that, especially for services. People are more always-online then ever." So true. Aside from working at home, facetiming with my family and friends, I have spent evenings rewatching all the Star War movies. It's been great to be able to shut out reality for awhile and lose one's self in the Star War worlds. I wonder if in another 10 years there will be a 50th year anniversary celebration and touring exhibit. Can't wait!

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2007 London Exhibition

 
STAR WARS: THE EXHIBITION features an array of items specially selected from the Lucasfilm Archives in Northern California. These objects give visitors a rare glimpse into the making of the epic movies. Among the featured items is the spectacular life-sized Naboo N-1 starfighter, along with several interactive activities that range from Jedi training to a greenscreen simulation which puts you right into the films. 

It is the second leg of a touring exhibit that began in Portugal last year and attracted more than 150,000 visitors in the space of two months.

Visual Effects 
In 1975, George Lucas founded the visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, which was tasked with completing his complex shots.

The effects teams started by building its own motion control camera called the Dykstraflex, which allowed for very precise and repeatable camera movements. This system helped them film several elements, such as miniatures and matte paintings, and later combine them into a single shot. Many of these original ship models are found in the exhibition.

With its many technical and creative innovations, ILM has helped drive the evolution of visual effects. Beginning with a mastery of bluescreen photography, matte painting, and model construction, ILM also pioneered the development of motion control cameras, optical compositing, and digital moviemaking. At the exhibition besides learning some of the techniques used to create the movies, visitors can also experience entering the movies by trying a green screen that puts them side by side with the main characters of Star Wars.

 Twelve exhibition rooms.

- Jedi School (performances last approx.15 minutes and are free to enter).

- Special Effects Green Screen Studio.

- Official Merchandise Store.

- Opportunity to meet and greet characters and take photos.

- Over 240 original objects, costumes, props, drawings, vehicles and models.

- All information is translated into two different languages: French and Spanish.

- Exhibition is currently running 7 days a week.

- Tickets are available at the box offices at the venue.

- Visitors are not limited to how long they spend in the exhibition.

 

   

 

MEDIA

Star Wars: The Exhibition Has Arrived

Sky News, Saturday May 05, 2007

Star Wars fans now have a chance to get to know all their favourite characters a bit better without the need to travel to a galaxy far, far away.

One of the biggest exhibitions ever of original props and costumes from the classic sci-fi series has come to London.

Darth Vader is likely to be one of the exhibition's star attractions

Darth Vader is likely to be one of the exhibition's star attractions

As the world's most popular movie saga celebrates its 30th anniversary later this month, the Star Wars universe descends on the capital.
"We are expecting serious numbers through the door - this is the biggest of its kind in the UK," said a spokesman for Star Wars: The Exhibition, which opens at County Hall today.
The star attractions are likely to be the costumes for Yoda, C-3PO and Darth Vader.

Jedi masters will be on hand to explain about Wookiees, Death Stars, the Force and Midi-chlorians to people not familiar with the blockbuster films.
And budding Luke Skywalkers will be able to attend a Jedi training school, with an opportunity to fight a Sith Lord.
The first Star Wars film was released in the US on May 25 1977 and scooped six Oscars, mostly for the technical work of the British team involved.
Star Wars: The Exhibition runs on London's South Bank until September 1.

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Taking a walk on the Dark Side

Saturday, 5 May 2007
By Tim Masters 
Entertainment editor, BBC News website

Darth Vader with fans

Visitors might bump into a few familiar characters

Dusk was closing in. A group of storm troopers took up defensive positions along a stretch of red carpet.
And then out of the darkness emerged Darth Vader - more than two metres tall - causing the assembled crowd to shrink back in fear.
It sounds like the opening scene of a Star Wars movie - a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
But this was a Friday night on the south bank of the Thames in London, a lightsaber's throw from the London Eye.
It was the kind of lavish launch party you would expect from a multi-billion dollar franchise.
Lots of theatricals, a smattering of celebrities and some actors from the movies.
Star Wars: The Exhibition has come to London to mark the 30th anniversary of the first film's release.
The film opened in just 32 cinemas in the United States on 25 May 1977.

Felix, 7, with C-3P0 actor Anthony Daniels

It's a reminder of the huge thing that Star Wars has become over the last 30 years 

Anthony Daniels
Star Wars actor

It went on to become a global smash with children across the world re-enacting the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Many of those at the launch were children of the '70s - now well into their 30s and 40s.
But they still queued up like excited infants to be photographed with Darth Vader.
Another guest much in demand was Anthony Daniels, the actor inside the fussy, shiny droid C-3P0. He worked on all six Star Wars films.
"It's great to see some of my old friends, costumes and exhibits - including my own costume which is safely in a glass box so I can't put it on!" he told BBC News.
Daniels is clearly proud to be part of the Star Wars universe, and to see it brought together in one place.
'Magic' feeling
"It's a reminder of the huge thing that Star Wars has become over the last 30 years," he said.
"It's also extraordinary to see an audience come though here of any age, smiling at the objects, and it's magic to be a part of that."
So what will visitors to the exhibition actually see?
The items have been brought from the LucasFilm Archives in California.
They include a full-size Naboo N-1 starfighter along with Anakin's Podracer from Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
There are many rooms to explore, themed by planet: Tatooine, Endor, Hoth and Geonosis to name but a few.

 

R2D2

Many of the original costumes can be seen close up

And let's not forget the Death Star. No prizes for guessing who takes star billing there.
It's a slightly odd experience to find such futuristic artefacts on display along the wood-panelled corridors of County Hall.
Visitors should be prepared for encounters with Jedi Knights and Sith Lords.
There is also a training school for people keen to hone their lightsaber skills.
I took along my seven-year-old son to get a younger perspective.
He was rendered speechless with delight at coming face to face with the likes of Yoda and R2-D2, and scared witless at Darth Vader's attempts to recruit him to the Dark Side.
But it was the class of '77 who were gurgling the loudest with delight - somewhat in the manner of Jabba the Hutt - as their bemused partners and offspring looked on.

Star Wars: The Exhibition is open now at County Hall, Westminster, London. 


StarWars-TheExhibition.com