Set pieces, artifacts, and replicas of some of pop culture’s most iconic sci-fi characters can be seen at POPnology, a traveling exhibit that’s at the Michigan Science Center (MiSci) through Aug. 11. Among the pieces on display are ET, R2-D2, HAL 9000, Terminator, H.R. Giger’s Alien, and the DeLorean, complete with a flux capacitor.
“Anyone who loves movies will fall in love with POPnology,” says Dr. Christian Greer, president and CEO of MiSci, in a press release. “So many of us at MiSci are movie and science-fiction geeks, so when we heard this coveted exhibit was available this summer, we jumped on it!”
Located on the center’s special exhibition space on the fourth floor, the 8,000-square-foot exhibit showcases how technology — like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, spaceships, self-driving cars, computers, and smartphones — has been influenced by classic science fiction books, art, scientists, movies, and TV. It also encourages guests to look to the future with new, emerging technologies and dream of what technology could be possible in the future.
POPnology also features actives like virtual reality games, 3D printers, augmented reality experiences, digital musical instruments, a rocket builder simulation, mars rover and landing demos, various robotic arms guests can control, and more.
“The relationship between science and science fiction is really important,” Greer says. “In one sense it gets people thinking about what the future holds, but also uses science fiction to get people interested in science, technology, engineering, and math, otherwise known as STEM. It’s nice when we see an astromech droid, like R2-D2, that could inspire young kids to pursue robotics.”
General admission tickets to MiSci grant guests access to POPnology and cost $18 for adults and $14 for children and seniors.
For more information, visit mi-sci.org.
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