Fanned Out 'Stormtroopers' Across Washington, D.C. As Part Of The Effort

A group hoping to establish a "Museum of Science Fiction" in Washington, D.C. is near the end of a crowdfunding effort that it hopes will result in a storefront preview location somewhere in or near the Nation’s Capital. And as part of the effort the group on December 1 sent stormtroopers to the U.S. Capitol Building and other locations to raise awareness for the campaign.

The "stormtroopers" were members of the 501st Legion, a Star Wars costuming organization. They participated in the public production of a promotional video for the project.

Organizers envision the Museum of Science Fiction as home to an array of objects and experiences that share the history of science fiction. Because the genre is so encompassing, the organization’s goal is to have a diverse collection of artifacts, display objects, and interactive exhibits that span many varieties of art forms. Visitors will be able to look at cherished manuscripts and interact with exhibits. There will be robots, time machines, aliens, and creatures, as well as costumes, sets, props, and model spaceships.

“We believe Washington, DC is an ideal location for a museum dedicated to science fiction, based in part on the remarkable draw the District’s museums have for people from all over the world. Indeed, one of the most popular museum destinations worldwide is the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and those who took humanity into orbit were inspired by science fiction, from Jules Verne to Star Trek,” said Greg Viggiano, the museum’s executive director. “If the project stays on schedule, a full-scale facility could open by 2017. In the meantime, we are planning to launch a small preview facility in late 2014. This ‘pop-up’ site will be the place to test exhibit concepts and share an insider’s look into the process of building the museum itself.”

To bring this institution to life, the Museum of Science Fiction launched a crowdfunding campaign last month, allowing the public to join in the building of this innovative museum dedicated to human imagination and its ability to shape our future. The goal of the campaign is to raise $160,000 in 38 days, but the real value in the campaign will be its statement of support and enthusiasm from one of the world’s greatest fan bases. Contributions to the crowdfunding campaign can be made here, scificrowdfund.com but time is short. The effort ends December 11, and so far, they have raised only about $32,000 of a $160,000 goal.

(Images provided by The Museum of Science Fiction)

FMI: http://museumofsciencefiction.org