Traveling museum exhibitions are almost like concerts: When big-name, big-draw shows come to town, people show up in droves. These special, short-term exhibits give visitors a chance to view artifacts and objects they may never otherwise see, from Viking relics never displayed outside of Scandinavia to mummies never displayed anywhere.
Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars and the Power of Costume
The late Carrie Fisher hated one of the most iconic costumes she ever wore — Princess Leia’s infamous bronze bikini in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi” — because, she said, “you could see all the way to Florida.” In most scenes, she wore a rubber stunt version of the outfit, which offered more movement but not more coverage.
The Smithsonian Institution’s “Star Wars and the Power of Costume” exhibit showcases more than 60 original costumes from the first 1977 film through the 2015 “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The exhibit will be at the Denver Art Museum through April 7. Although it is slated to travel through September 2020, the next destination hasn’t yet been announced.
Exhibits focus on the creative process of costume-making, from nightmarish concept sketches of Darth Maul to elaborate construction of Padmé Amidala’s dresses. Visitors can see Luke Skywalker’s cloak and kimono from “Return of the Jedi,” Chewbacca’s yak-hair costume and Boba Fett’s bounty-hunting outfit. Displays are rife with interesting trivia. For example, actor Anthony Daniels, who played the fussy, brassy C-3PO droid in all seven films, couldn’t sit down while wearing the intricate getup.
The exhibit will tour to other museums in the United States, with a schedule to be released this month.
www.sites.si.edu/starwarsandthepowerofcostume
Mummies: New Secrets From the Tombs
Most people associate mummies with ancient Egypt, but Peruvian and Chilean people were mummifying their dead 1,500 years before the Egyptians.
“Mummies: New Secrets From the Tombs” offers visitors a chance to see a selection of mummies — some on display for the first time — from The Field Museum in Chicago. The exhibit will open in March at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and run through January 2018.
Peruvians first began to mummify their dead about 7,000 years ago, a process, they believed, that allowed them to stay connected to and interact with their loved ones. Some people kept mummies in their homes, took them to festivals or brought them food. Archaeologists believe the first Egyptian mummies were created accidentally in the hot, dry desert about 5,500 years ago. Egyptians later developed their elaborate mummification process to allow the deceased to live on in the next world.
At interactive touch-screen tables, visitors can digitally “unwrap” several mummies via CT scans, learning about every layer: exterior linens, the skeletons inside, who the people likely were and what items were buried with them.
Amending America Comes to Philadelphia
Since the United States Constitution took effect in 1789, Congress has amended it 27 times — only 27 times out of 11,000 proposed amendments. Visitors can learn about some of those failed amendments while exploring “Amending America,” on display through September 4 at the National Archives Museum in Washington.
The longest it ever took to ratify an amendment was 202 years, seven months and 10 days. The 27th Amendment was first submitted for ratification in 1789 along with the 10 amendments that became the Bill of Rights, but it wasn’t ratified until 1992.
The exhibition features more than 50 original documents as well as interactive displays that highlight the process of amending the Constitution. Among the 11,000 proposed amendments was an 1838 effort to ban any person who had been involved in a duel from holding federal office, an 1888 amendment to give voting rights to widows and spinsters who owned property, and a 1938 effort to prohibit drunkenness — five years after Prohibition was repealed.
Vikings: Beyond the Legend
Vikings have a reputation for being burly, bearded, horned warriors who sailed the world to burn and pillage. But visitors to “Vikings: Beyond the Legend” at the Cincinnati Museum Center may be surprised to find that many of the tales about the Viking culture are no more than myths.
The exhibit runs through April in Cincinnati before opening at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It showcases more than 500 Viking artifacts and objects, many never seen outside of Scandinavia, including 1,000-year-old textiles, ceramics, jewelry and weapons.
Visitors can compete in traditional games, test their skills using a replica sword and learn about authentic Viking clothing. Exhibits explore Norse mythology and the world of Viking gods, like Thor and Odin. To-scale replicas of Viking ships include the 25-foot Krampmacken and the 21-foot Karl, and the genuine 122-foot Roskilde 6, the longest Viking ship ever discovered, is on display in North America for the first time.
