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Skirball cultural center announces the opening of star trek: 
exploring new worlds october 7, 2021.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2021 at 12:00 PM

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Skirball Cultural Center announces the opening of

STAR TREK: EXPLORING NEW WORLDS October 7, 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA—The Skirball Cultural Center announces today the opening date for the LA debut presentation of Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds . Organized by the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Seattle, under license by ViacomCBS Consumer Products, this comprehensive exhibition showcases Star Trek ’s enduring impact on culture, art, and technology. The exhibition also explores how Star Trek broke boundaries with its daring vision of cooperation and inclusion, mirroring the Skirball’s commitment to welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope. Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds opens at the Skirball on October 7, 2021, and runs through February 20, 2022.

“When I arrived at the Skirball last July, we were in the middle of the first COVID surge. Hearing the words ‘live long and prosper’ sounded really good,” commented Skirball Cultural Center President and CEO Jessie Kornberg. “All of these months later, I am overcome with gratitude that we can reopen our full museum and on-campus activities with this exhibition as our headliner. Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds highlights how the essential Jewish values that animate our work at the Skirball – welcome the stranger, honor memory, seek learning, pursue justice, build community, and show kindness – are the same touchstones of Star Trek ’s fictional future, and the key to what made the series so appealing to its audiences. Star Trek ’s universe feels hopeful because the characters live these values, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our shared ideals.”

“ Star Trek  depicts a future where members of a diverse team work together, strengthened by their unique qualities and backgrounds," continues Skirball Museum Director Sheri Bernstein. “This hopeful vision resonates deeply with the Skirball’s commitment to help build a society in which everyone belongs and is valued for their unique contributions. I can’t think of a more apt exhibition to help us welcome our community back than the phenomenal  Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds .”

“ Star Trek remains one of the most iconic touchstones of twentieth- and twenty-first-century pop culture. More than fifty years since the original TV show premiered to modest ratings, it has succeeded in shifting our ideas about both technology and human relationships,” remarked Laura Mart, managing curator for the Skirball presentation. “We welcome fans and fans-in-the-making to explore how Star Trek has continued to probe themes of justice, equality, and heroism, and inspired people of all backgrounds to see themselves as leaders – in space and on Earth.”

On view in the exhibition will be an array of rare artifacts, set pieces, and props from the television series, spinoffs, and films—many of which have never been on display in LA. Highlights include:

• Set pieces from Star Trek : The Original Series , including Captain Kirk’s command chair and the navigation console.
• More than 100 artifacts and props from the various Star Trek TV series and films, including an original series’ tricorder, communicator, and phaser; a Borg cube from the film Star Trek: First Contact ; a Klingon disruptor pistol from Star Trek: The Next Generation ; and tribbles from Star Trek : The Original Series . 
• Spock’s tunic worn by Leonard Nimoy; Lt. Uhura’s dress worn by Nichelle Nichols; Khan garments past and present, including the open-chest tunic worn by Ricardo Montalbán and the costume worn by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2013 reboot; Captain Picard’s uniform worn by Patrick Stewart; plus, a Borg costume, the alien Gorn, and more.
• Original scripts, concept art, storyboards, and production drawings.
• Spaceship filming models of the U.S.S. Enterprise and U.S.S. Excelsior.
• Objects that illustrate how Star Trek has become deeply embedded in popular culture and has even inspired real-world technological innovations, such as a prototype of an actual medical tricorder, Star Trek -themed beer, a Boston Red Sox “ Star Trek Night” foam finger in the shape of the Vulcan salute, a “Picardigan” sweater, a listening station with songs by Star Trek tribute bands, US postal stamps featuring the U.S.S. Enterprise , and much more.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds October 7, 2021 – February 20, 2022

Skirball Cultural Center 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 skirball.org • (310) 440-4500

Tickets for October visits will open for advance sale on the Skirball website beginning September 2 at Noon. Tickets for November visits will open for advance sale on the Skirball website beginning October 7 at Noon.

For more information, please visit: https://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/star-trek-exploring-new-worlds

For the most updated information on ticketing guidelines and safety protocols, please visit: https://www.skirball.org/ticketing-and-safety

A special press preview is scheduled for September 14 at 10:00 a.m. Please inquire to [email protected] .

Organized by Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Seattle, WA. ™ and © 2021 CBS Studios Inc. © 2021 Paramount Pictures Corp. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The exhibition Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds and its related educational programs at the Skirball Cultural Center are made possible by generous support from the following donors:

Bloomberg Philanthropies Stephanie and Harold Bronson Lori and Scott Cooper/Pegasus Squire Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel In Memory of Michael Piller by Sandra Piller The Roddenberry Foundation Turicchi Family Foundation U.S. Bank

Media support provided by: Los Angeles  magazine

About the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle, with a mission to make creative expression a life changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community engagements, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit MoPOP.org .

About ViacomCBS Consumer Products

ViacomCBS Consumer Products (VCP) oversees all licensing and merchandising for ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, VCP’s portfolio includes a diverse slate of brands and content from BET, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and Showtime. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth, and adult, VCP is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. Additionally, VCP oversees the direct-to-consumer online business for CBS’ programming merchandise, as well as standalone SpongeBob , MTV, Star Trek , and Showtime branded ecommerce websites.

About the Skirball

The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.

Visiting the Skirball

The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Advance reservations are required for all visitors at this time. See admission details and up-to-date information about visiting the campus, ticketing guidelines, and safety protocols here .

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The restored star trek enterprise-d bridge goes on display in may, the bridge is going on display at sci-fi world musem in santa monica, california..

Jonathan M. Gitlin - Mar 22, 2024 4:48 pm UTC

More than a decade has gone by since three Star Trek: The Next Generation fans first decided to restore the bridge from the Enterprise-D . Plans for the restored bridge morphed from opening it up to non-commercial uses like weddings or educational events into a fully fledged museum , and now that museum is almost ready to open. Backers of the project on Kickstarter have been notified that Sci-Fi World Museum will open to them in Santa Monica, California, on May 27, with general admission beginning in June.

It's not actually the original set from TNG , as that was destroyed while filming Star Trek: Generations , when the saucer section crash-lands on Veridian III. But three replicas were made, overseen by Michael Okuda and Herman Zimmerman, the show's set designers. Two of those welcomed Trekkies at Star Trek: The Experience , an attraction in Las Vegas until it closed in 2008 .

The third spent time in Hollywood, then traveled to Europe and Asia for Star Trek: World Tour  before it ended up languishing in a warehouse in Long Beach. It's this third globe-trotting Enterprise-D bridge that—like the grit that gets an oyster to create a pearl—now finds a science-fiction museum accreted around it. Well, mostly—the chairs used by Riker, Troi, Data, and some other bits were salvaged from the Las Vegas exhibit.

Unlike the actual set, which was made from wood, the replica is made of metal and fiberglass. The restoration was originally supposed to take up to two years , but the project ended up being a far bigger challenge.

When Ars checked in with the Enterprise-D bridge restoration in 2014, the science-fiction museum plan had taken shape. But that change of plans did not sit well with some of the project's original supporters, particularly after an imperfect re-creation of the captain's chair—which remained lost until recently—was sold on eBay.

Things got even uglier in 2018 when Huston Huddleston, who led the project, was arrested and then convicted for possessing child pornography. Although Huddleston still appears listed as the project's CEO on its Kickstarter page , that appears to be an artifact of its creation, and John Purdy is listed as the CEO of the Sci-Fi World Museum on its About Us page . However, Huddleston's mother remains as the museum's Chief Financial Officer.

The Enterprise-D isn't the only bridge you'll be able to find at the museum —there's also a replica of the bridge from Star Trek: The Original Series , which previously lived in a wax museum in Buena Park, California. Other exhibits include a hall of robots, as well as the "Bubbleship" and a drone from the movie Oblivion .

It's also not the only recent re-creation of the Enterprise-D's bridge. Okuda and his wife Denise both helped Paramount re-create the iconic set for the third season of Picard . The new Enterprise-D set can even be explored on Google Maps .

And earlier this month, it looked like Jean-Luc Picard's long-lost chair might be sold at auction. However, the day saw an agreement between CBS Studios and the auctioneer Propstore, which will return the chair to CBS's Star Trek Archive, which plans to restore and display it in the coming year.

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Step inside the world of ‘star trek’ at l.a.’s skirball center.

A new exhibit of props and costumes from the iconic sci-fi franchise includes Lieutenant Sulu’s navigation console restored with help from fans.

By Aaron Couch

Aaron Couch

Film Editor

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Los Angeles’ Skirball Cultural Center is venturing into TV history. Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds (open Oct.  7 through Feb.  20, 2022) features rare props and costumes from 55 years of the seminal sci-fi series.

In addition to costumes worn by stars Patrick Stewart , Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols, there’s a phaser from the original series (just one of two known to exist); a model of a Borg cube; and the head of the alien Gorn, the lizard-creature William Shatner ’s Kirk fought in the classic 1967 episode “The Arena.” The exhibit spans work new and old, featuring both the open-chest Khan tunic worn by Ricardo Montalbán in The Wrath of Khan (1982) as well as the less-revealing costume Benedict Cumberbatch sported to play a younger version of the character in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).

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The centerpiece of the exhibit is a navigation console operated by Lieutenant Sulu (George Takei) in the original series. It was badly damaged and missing most of its buttons after 50 years in storage, so the team beamed up a group of fans to help restore it.

“They knew all this stuff — where to find the various switches they used back then in some warehouse that’s been sitting there for 50 years,” says Brooks Peck, curator of Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, which has loaned the exhibit to the Skirball. The restorers even made sure the lights blink with exactly the same timing as on TV.

Visitors also will get the chance to act with prop phasers and tricorders in a re-creation of the transporter bay, with a video monitor displaying what the scene would look like in the show as they fire the phasers and get beamed up.

Expect to see more than a few Star Trek fans — Trekkies helped invent Comic-Con culture — dressed up in costume. “It’s very encouraged,” says Skirball curator Laura Mart, who notes that a recent Jim Henson exhibit saw a lot of creative wear. “I hope we get more of that fun.” (Tickets for this special exhibition are $18 for adults; $15 for seniors and students; and $13 for children 2-12.)

This story first appeared in the Oct. 6 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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'Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds' exhibition is a must for every fan

Every 'Star Trek' and sci-fi fan in Southern California should make a pilgrimage to the Skirball Center.

LOS ANGELES — If you plan to be anywhere near Los Angeles between now and February next year, a trip to the "Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds" exhibition should absolutely, positively feature in your plans. 

Opening this week at the Skirball Cultural Center — located just north of the Getty Museum, in-between Bel Air and Sherman Oaks — the exhibition features a rare gathering in one place of equally rarely seen items from throughout the 55 years of " Star Trek " history. It includes the rescued and tastefully restored captain's chair and helm control console from "The Original Series," Khan's (Ricardo Montalbán) actual, screen-used costume from "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," screen-used costumes from "Discovery" and even Data's (Brent Spiner) screen-used head from "The Next Generation" two-part season cliffhanger "Time's Arrow" (Season 5, Episode 26 and Season 6, Episode 1). 

The items have kindly been loaned by various collectors from around the world, but most of them come from Paul Allen 's personal collection; the late co-founder of Microsoft was a big fan of science fiction. 

Related: Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best  

There are also several interactive experiences including a "beaming down" simulation where you stand in an "Original Series"-era transporter room and watch yourself energize down to a hostile planet where you must fight with phasers to survive. There's also a seemingly simple-sounding Jefferies tube photo opportunity, which if you were to visit the exhibition in cosplay, would make a truly enviable post on social media and you too could look like you're desperately trying to reach the warp drive plasma induction coils.

There's even a detailed map of all the "Star Trek" timelines, particularly relevant now that the second season of "Picard" will be falling back on time travel as a story arc. If all else fails, this will almost certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons and stimulate some (hopefully healthy) discussion as to which timeline we're actually on . 

Related: Star Trek streaming guide: Where to watch the Star Trek movies and TV shows online

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Truly a thing of beauty: a studio-scale, screen-used model of the USS Excelsior. 

Khan-do, Ricardo Montalbán's actual, screen-used costume and no-Khan-do, Benedict Cumberbatch's costume.

Mister Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) screen-used thruster/EVA suit from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."

A studio-scale, screen-used USS Enterprise-D from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." 

Seven of Nine's (Jeri Ryan) and Capt Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) screen-used costumes from "Voyager."

There are also panels and displays that explain the history of this epic television sci-fi show, from its premiere in 1966 and the incredible effort made by fans for a third season after NBC tried to cancel it after just two. Then came efforts to reboot the show and that resulted in "The Animated Series" and when every movie studio jumped on the sci-fi bandwagon following the success of "Star Wars" in 1977, we got "The Motion Picture." But it was really the epic "Wrath of Khan" that saved the franchise and the rest is history.

Not only is this exhibition a treat for Trekkies — who, along with admiring these iconic items from the show's history, will wholeheartedly relish in the opportunity to meet other, like-minded devotees and discuss which series is best and why — but this is a fantastic way to introduce people who might not be aware of the impact of "Star Trek" has had on contemporary pop culture. Not everyone knows that a sci-fi show that aired 55 years ago starring a melodramatic actor from Montreal and a guy with pointy ears was such an astutely observed, well-written metaphoric reflection of important issues facing society at that time. And this has continued, right up to the present day. 

Related: Watch the first full trailer for 'Star Trek: Picard' Season 2

"With this exhibition, we're looking towards the future; it's a hopeful, optimistic future where humankind unites with other interstellar societies on a peaceful mission of exploration and diplomacy," Managing Curator Laura Mart said.

"That spirit feels appropriate for the time we're in now, with the great challenges we face, from the pandemic to climate change. 'Star Trek' has inspired generations of fans for over 55 years not just because of its futuristic vision, but also by showing that anyone can be a leader. Every Starfleet crewmember, including humans of a wide range of backgrounds and abilities as well as members of societies from other solar systems, are valued for their contributions and talents."  

"Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds" opens at the Skirball Cultural Center on Thursday, Oct. 7 and runs to Sunday, Feb 20, 2022. In order to keep a handle on crowds during these perilous times, 90-minute time slots are available from Tuesday to Sunday, every hour on weekdays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT and every hour at weekends from  10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.

Plus, there are events planned for throughout October, including a discussion titled "Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology" on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. PT and on Friday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. PT there's a screening of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" preceded by an in-person talk and audience Q&A with the director of that epic movie, Nicholas Meyer. 

Health and safety policies, pricing details and ticket information can be found on the Skirball Center website . (Look out for all the strategically placed Tribbles, too.)

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Beam Us Up: A Major ‘Star Trek' Exhibit to Open at The Skirball

"star trek: exploring new worlds" will feature over 100 artifacts and props, as well as numerous set pieces, and a deeper look inside the sci-fi phenom., by alysia gray painter • published august 12, 2021 • updated on august 12, 2021 at 2:26 pm, what to know.

• Skirball Cultural Center
• Oct. 7, 2021 through Feb. 20, 2022
• Look for set pieces, artifacts, costumes, and more, as well as an exploration of the show's themes of justice, kindness, and community

If you're seeking to move with speed and efficiency in the "Star Trek" universe, or rather to move from "impulse" to "warp," you have a number of excellent options to choose from.

Using the Transporter to quickly reach the surface of a strange planet, or being asked to be beamed back to the ship, is one route Starfleet members regularly employ, while engaging the warp drive will carry you and your whole crew to a new destination.

And if you're fortunate enough (or, er, unfortunate enough, depending upon the circumstances) to discover a wormhole? You're going to cover a lot of distance in a blink. Like, A LOT.

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But moving an exhibit celebrating everything "Star Trek" from its original debut date in the spring of 2020 to a time in the future when it would officially open?

The temptation of wormholes and warp drives had to be put aside when curators faced that challenging task.

Rather, time and patience was what the team at the Skirball Cultural Center needed to achieve that goal, and no wormhole nor warp drive could assist.

Many Earth days and developments have now passed, meaning "Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds" will finally open at the acclaimed cultural museum on Oct. 7, giving fans of Gene Roddenberry's genre-changing series plenty to ponder.

Over 100 "rare" artifacts and props will be part of the presentation, as well as a numerous scripts, conceptual artworks, set pieces, and costumes.

The galactic garb on view will include a tunic once donned by Leonard Nimoy as he portrayed Dr. Spock, a dress worn by Nichelle Nichols when she portrayed Uhura, and Captain Picard's uniform (formerly worn by Patrick Stewart).

Oh yes: A Borg costume will be in the house, too, if you're brave enough to approach it for a closer look.

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Look also for Captain Kirk's command chair and the navigation console from the original 1960s series.

Interesting to note?

Several of the objects set to play a part in the exhibit have never been displayed in Los Angeles before, a true treat for local fans. Especially considering that the corners of space shown on-screen were often highly visual locations found around Southern California.

Most importantly, the exhibit will consider the many themes of diversity, fellowship, friendship, forgiveness, equality, and acceptance that the pioneering series so movingly and successfully explored.

"When I arrived at the Skirball last July, we were in the middle of the first COVID surge. Hearing the words 'live long and prosper' sounded really good," commented Skirball Cultural Center President and CEO Jessie Kornberg. "All of these months later, I am overcome with gratitude that we can reopen our full museum and on-campus activities with this exhibition as our headliner."

"'Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds' highlights how the essential Jewish values that animate our work at the Skirball – welcome the stranger, honor memory, seek learning, pursue justice, build community, and show kindness – are the same touchstones of 'Star Trek’s' fictional future, and the key to what made the series so appealing to its audiences. 'Star Trek’s' universe feels hopeful because the characters live these values, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our shared ideals."

"'Star Trek' depicts a future where members of a diverse team work together, strengthened by their unique qualities and backgrounds," continues Skirball Museum Director Sheri Bernstein. 

"This hopeful vision resonates deeply with the Skirball's commitment to help build a society in which everyone belongs and is valued for their unique contributions. I can’t think of a more apt exhibition to help us welcome our community back than the phenomenal 'Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds.'"

For more on this exciting and highly anticipated exhibit, beam by the Skirball Cultural Center's site now.

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“Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds”

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Time Out says

Space: the final frontier. This is the voyage of a traveling pop culture exhibition. Its latest mission: to stop by L.A.’s Skirball Cultural center.

After missing its 2020 debut because of, you know, everything happening here on Earth, “ Star Trek : Exploring New Worlds” has finally landed at the Skirball. The exhibition celebrates the sci-fi franchise’s impact on culture, art and technology and its futuristic vision of inclusiveness—but mostly, it shows off some particularly cool Trek relics.

Originally organized by the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Seattle, “Exploring New Worlds” features over 100 artifacts, set pieces and props—from communicators to phasers to Borg cubes to tribbles—from the television series, spin-offs and films. The original series and its subsequent movies are the most well-represented, but you’ll find a little bit from just about everything that followed, up through  Discovery (the insistence in one video that the J.J. Abrams-launched alternative universe movies are still going strong certainly dates the exhibition to a specific time in the franchise’s history).

Even if you’re not a Trekkie, you’re sure to recognize some of the things on display here: Captain Kirk’s command chair (there’s a replica in the lobby for photo ops) and the navigation console from  Star Trek: The Original Series ; costumes worn by Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols and Patrick Stewart (Spock, Uhura and and Picard, respectively); filming models of the U.S.S. Enterprise , U.S.S. Excelsior , U.S.S. Phoenix  and Deep Space Nine space station; pop culture ephemera like a Vulcan salute foam finger; and a fabulous Gorn lizard-man costume.

Timed tickets cost $18 and include admission to the rest of the museum. Reservations open up on the first Thursday of each month at noon.

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My First Covid Vaccination

Lightscape – Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden

Visited: October 2021

When Tracy asked me if I wanted to visit the Skirball Cultural Center to see its temporary exhibition entitled “Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds,” just like a fully vaccinated Vulcan, I immediately knew the logical answer.   So, on a beautiful Sunday morning, we put the Starship Subaru into warp drive and voyaged to this museum located just up the road from the Getty Center at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains.

I admit I did have to put the phaser on stun to be the first ones inside. I’m sure these two recovered in time.

Once inside the Skirball lobby, I felt honored to sit in the Enterprise’s command chair, but when Tracy reminded me I almost missed the offramp getting here, I quickly told Mr. Sulu to “take the conn.”

We suddenly found ourselves in some trouble … with Tribbles.   These cute little guys can reproduce and spread like wildfire when fed.   Luckily we had no food on us, plus they were inside a display case where, as Scotty once said, “they’ll be no tribble at all.”   Like so many Star Trek artifacts, the Tribbles came from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection.

Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise fought many a foe over its more than 20 year television and movie life.   In the TV show, Kirk was forced to fight the captain of a Gorn ship, who was a lizard-like creature.   Unlike the cold-blooded lizard, Kirk was warm-hearted and didn’t kill him.

Kirk and the Enterprise’s biggest (and best) nemesis tangled both on the TV show and its second movie.   I have seen Star Trek: Wrath of Khan dozens of times throughout the years, and Ricardo Montalban’s portrayal of the “result of a genetic engineering program” possessing “superior intellect,” is one of filmdom’s greatest villains.   His costume is showcased here.

Dr. McCoy must have known I was coming as shown by his hypospray.   Fortunately I didn’t hear the words, “He’s dead, Jim!”

Many people’s favorite character on Star Trek: Next Generation was Lt. Commander Data, an Android who uses his positronic brain to help in instant computing.   Through the years, Data tried to find more humanity in himself and understand the human condition, but often his wisdom was the reason the Enterprise escaped many a scrape.   You could say, he really used his head.   His cat was named Spot, although, as you can see, the cat was striped.

We checked out the helm of the Enterprise.

As we neared the end of our journey, danger lurked.  Unlike this poor fellow, I came perilously close to being assimilated by The Borg, a collective of races.   I don’t remember how I escaped, but it was a close one.

Perhaps it was my good friend Worf, who I remember saying, “Assimilate thisI”

Skirball Cultural Center 2701 N, Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 310.440.4500 Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds Open Now through February 20, 2022 $18 Adults • $15 Seniors & Children over 12 • $13 Children 2 – 12 Timed entry online (90-minute time slot) Parking: Free skirball.org

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Tv and streaming, tv and streaming | capping its 5-year mission, ‘star trek’ exhibit opens at the skirball cultural center.

Space may be the final frontier, but Skirball Cultural Center is the last stop in this exhibition’s voyage.

On Oct. 7 fans of “Star Trek” can beam themselves into the middle of a pop-culture and sci-fi phenomenon when “Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds,” opens at the Los Angeles institution.

“It explores all the worlds and characters of ‘Star Trek,’” said Laura Mart, Skirball managing curator of the exhibition. “As a fan of ‘Star Trek’ you get to see these amazing artifacts and fun TV costumes up close, I really love that,” she said.

The exhibition is made up of more than 100 artifacts, set pieces, costumes, props, scripts and videos spanning the 50-plus year history of the Gene Roddenberry TV show and all of its other TV and movie spin-offs. It was originally launched to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the series, which aired between 1966-1969.

It was put together by the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, where the exhibition first ran from May 2016 to May 2018 before traveling to other venues. The Skirball Center will be the last stop for the exhibition.

“After this, the costumes and props will go back to their owners because most of them are on loan to us from private collectors,” said Brooks Peck, Museum of Pop Culture senior curator of the exhibition.

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds is at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles as seen on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Skirball Cultural Center’s Museum Director Sheri Bernstein introduces Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at the Skirball in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A woman takes a selfie in a captains chair at Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

People view Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on media day, Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Helm and navigation console from Star Trek from 1966-1969 with Captain Kirk’s command chair is in Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles as seen on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Brooks Peck, the exhibition curator of Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, poses in the interactive Borg exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7 at the Skirball, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Brooks Peck, the exhibition curator of Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds at Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, talks about the show opening at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The exhibit, which opens Oct. 7, looks at the impact of Star Trek on culture, art, and technology (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The original series followed Captain James T. Kirk, of the U.S.S. Enterprise and his crew who headed into space on a five year mission “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” It spanned seven television series, 13 movies, plus novels, comics and games.

There’s plenty of cool stuff to look at that spans the entire history of the franchise, but the exhibition’s goal is much deeper than merely showing off memorabilia. The installation explores the show’s themes of optimism, equality, and humanity and its continuing impact on modern culture and technology.

“’Star Trek’s’ messages about optimism about the future and appreciation of diversity, of hope, of working together is not just a cool message, it’s a message that has inspired people for generations, even if they’re not wild ‘Star Trek’ fans,” Peck said.

But still, Trekkies will go wild for all of the cool out of this world stuff on display in the exhibition like outfits worn by original series characters including Captain James T. Kirk, Spock, Doctor Leonard McCoy and Lt. Uhura.

People can also see the original helm and navigation control console used on the bridge of the original series. It was restored in 2016 and it will really allow fans to geek out since the restoration includes LED lights that are programmed to blink in the exact same pattern and timing seen on the show.

Fans of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” the follow-up series that ran from 1987-1994, will also get to see the majority of that crews’ space outfits, including Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s red and black uniform. Pilot Geordi La Forge’s outfit is there, too, as well as his visor, which allowed him to see since he was born blind.

There are cool gadgets and weapons, too, such as a d’k tahg knife and the bat’leth, a double-sided curved blade weapon used by the Klingons, the warrior race that appeared in the series.

And yes, you can go ahead and sat, “Beam me up, Scotty” because there is a replica transporter where people can stand and see themselves on a nearby screen being transported into the final frontier.

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds

When: Oct. 7-Feb. 20

Where: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles

Cost: $18 for general admission, $15 for seniors and  full time students, and Children older than 12,$13 for children ages 2–12. Admission is free to all on Thursdays. Tickets include general admission to Center.

COVID-19 protocols: Advance tickets required. Proof of vaccination or negative test taken within 72 hours for all ages. Masks must be worn indoors.

Information: 310-440-4500;  skirball.org

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'Star Trek' exhibit opens at the Skirball Cultural Center

LOS ANGELES — For generations, one show has inspired us to go boldly where no one has gone before, and now you can get up close and personal with the "Star Trek" universe with a new exhibition at the Skirball Cultural Center, opening Oct. 7.

For Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Ottman, "Star Trek" was more than just a show. It was a life-changing experience that helped form a large part of his worldview. As a kid, Ottman would make "Star Trek" fan films in his backyard and, over the years, has collected models of the USS Enterprise, but Ottman took a recent trip to the Skirball to check out some actual artifacts from the "Star Trek" universe. 

What You Need To Know

"star trek" was created in the 1960s by gene roddenberry and has since spawned many spin-off tv shows and movies star trek: exploring new worlds opens on oct. 7 at the skirball cultural center and includes artifacts and interactive displays spanning the entire history of the "star trek" universe  the exhibition also provides a historical context for "star trek," which is known for tackling social issues of the time in a science fiction setting curator brooks peck said "star trek" represents a hopeful view of the future for fans, which accounts for its ongoing legacy.

As it is for millions of fans, Ottman said "Star Trek" was his gateway into a lifelong obsession with science fiction.

"Star Trek really woke me up to it because it became far more than science fiction," Ottman said. "It became about a certain view of the future. A hopeful view of the future, and everyone sort of getting along and embracing science, and the excitement of gaining knowledge and being rational. It's a little disorienting these days to be a person who was brought up with that philosophy."

Ottman is now part of the "Star Trek" creative universe himself, having just returned from Toronto after directing his first episode of "Star Trek Discovery," one of the many shows spun off from the 1960s original series.

Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds  is an exhibition filled with models, props, costumes and ephemera spanning over 60 years of "Star Trek" lore.

Curator Brooks Peck said the exhibition shows the depth and complexity of "Star Trek" as envisioned by creator Gene Roddenberry.

"We really tried to dig into why 'Star Trek' has endured so well," Peck said. "Why is it so inspiring to people? And we look at how 'Star Trek's' big messages of optimism, of cooperation, of embracing diversity…I feel like those are what have inspired people to hope for that future and keep making more and more 'Star Trek.'"

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The exhibition also provides a socio-historical context for "Star Trek." Skirball Cultural Center curator Laura Mart said that by weaving issues of the day into science fiction storylines, Roddenberry and his writers could tackle things — such as the Vietnam War, civil rights movements, the Cold War and the space race — in a way that wouldn't ruffle TV censors.

"(In the original series) problems of racism, and war, and poverty were ostensibly solved on earth," Mart said. "You had the storylines of 'Star Trek' exploring these very timely issues in space."

The best part of the exhibition is getting to see things that formed his childhood fantasies up close, Ottman said, including a detailed Klingon battle cruiser from the Robert Wise-directed "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." Ottman marveled at the detail on the model and said seeing the ship on the big screen blew him away in 1979.

"It's one of those moments you never forget in your life," Ottman said. "So, whenever I see this, I just get chills."

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6 museums to enjoy this fall, showcasing ‘Star Trek’ to the Oscars

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Our critic Christopher Knight is pulling together picks for fall’s promising art shows, so here we’re focusing on other museum stuff: social history, children’s fun, movies and science exhibitions worth plotting on your radar.

Aug 28-Feb. 20

‘Miné Okubo’s Masterpiece: The Art of Citizen 13660’

Yes, graphic art is art. But for many, the draw here is history: Illustrations from Okubo’s groundbreaking 1946 graphic memoir depict the conditions that she and her fellow Japanese Americans endured in a government-run incarceration center during World War II. Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo, downtown L.A. Open Tuesdays-Sundays. $7, $16; reservations recommended, walk-ups available. (213) 625-0414. janm.org

It’s back! The Skirball Cultural Center’s beloved children’s play area is reopening from pandemic closure with some precautions in place: Fewer visitors will be allowed in the gallery, air filtration has been upgraded and sanitizing wipes will be placed throughout the space. Timed-entry reservations only; no walk-ups. Reservations for September opened at 10 a.m. Thursday. New tickets will be released Sept. 23 and Oct. 21. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Closed Monday. $7-$12; admission is free for everyone on Thursdays and for children younger than 2 every day. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Are you ready for the house of Oscar? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ much-anticipated museum is set to open at long last, with gallery after gallery of memorable scenes, costumes and props weaving together the history of movies. Times staff who have gotten a sneak peek say the place has the makings of a hit. Look for a deep dive into the museum early next month, when we roll out our coverage online and publish a special print section devoted to Hollywood’s newest landmark. Until then, mark the calendar for what looks to be fall’s hot ticket. 6067 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open daily. $15-$25; children 17 and younger are free. (323) 930-3000, academymuseum.org

Oct. 7-Feb. 20

‘Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds’

Beam on up to Brentwood for this special exhibit featuring props, models and costumes from the long-running science-fiction franchise. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Closed Mondays. Special exhibition pricing: $13-$18; admission is free for everyone on Thursdays and for children younger than 2 every day; advanced timed-entry tickets required. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org

Nov. 5-June 19

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Aug. 15, 2021

“Patriotism in Conflict: Fighting for Country and Comunidad”

The Chicano Moratorium , in which tens of thousands of Mexican American citizen-activists took to the streets of East L.A. in August 1970 to protest the Vietnam War and its impact on their communities, is revisited in this exhibition featuring archival photographs, videos, printed materials and ephemera. LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St., downtown L.A. Closed Tuesdays. Free; reservations recommended. (213) 542-6200. lapca.org

Opens Nov. 7

‘Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall’

This new multimedia exhibit charts the life and career of the world-famous primatologist and activist. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park, L.A. Closed Tuesdays. $8-$17; kids 2 and younger, free; reservations recommended; walk-ups welcome. nhm.org

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Feb. 29, 2024

11:35 a.m. Oct. 4, 2021: The pricing for the exhibition “Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds” at the Skirball Cultural Center has been updated based on new information received by The Times.

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Matt Cooper is a former listings coordinator for the Los Angeles Times. He began working at the paper in 1994 and compiled its movie, TV and arts listings. Born in Chicago and raised in Southern California, he holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in English from Mount St. Mary’s University.

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Published Jun 8, 2013

Star Trek: The Exhibition Opens Today In San Diego

Star Trek: The Exhibition is on the move, and this time it’s touching down in San Diego, where it’ll open to the public today as part of the San Diego County Fair. Attendees can immerse themselves in an interactive, museum-style experience of one of the largest collections of authentic Star Trek information and artifacts ever put on display. The Exhibition will offer a Star Trek: The Original Series bridge, the Scorpion fighter from Nemesis , Dr. Crusher’s sick bay, a Timeline wall and a motion simulator. Fans will also be able to enjoy interactive kiosks and photo opportunities, including one with Kirk’s captain’s chair. Star Trek: The Exhibition will run as part of the San Diego County Fair until July 4.

Click HERE for details.

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Vasquez Rocks – More Than Just a Star Trek Filming Location

Last Modified: August 13, 2023 //  by  Anda //   2 Comments

Just 45 miles north of Los Angeles , in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, lies California’s most iconic Natural Area Park: the Vasquez Rocks. The Park is famous for its breathtaking rock formations that rise from the ground like whales peeping out from the water. Because of their strange angle, the rocks look almost unnatural, like something from outer space.

Table of Contents

Geological History of the Vasquez Rocks

How did the vasquez rocks get their name, famous rocks trail, vasquez rocks trail, pacific crest trail, vasquez rocks movies, the asher ranch at vasquez rocks, how to get to vasquez rocks, opening times, hotels near vasquez rocks natural area park, a final word.

The Park’s geological history is quite interesting. These dramatic sandstones are basically deposits of crumbled sand and rocks from the nearby San Gabriel Mountains. What we see today is the result of thousands of years of erosion, pressure and precipitations that caused the sand to compress and form flat layers of hard sandstone.

Because the slabs had different densities they eroded at different rates, thus creating a layer effect. As for the rocks’ angled projection, that is due to their location along the San Andreas Fault. The continuous movement of the fault causes the rocks to shift, which in time resulted in their extreme lift.

The Vasquez Rocks Natural Park were named after a bandit –Tiburcio Vasquez– who stole horses and robbed stagecoaches in this area, in the 1850s.

There are many folk tales about Vasquez and his band of thieves. And like all tales, some are true and some are not. But what’s surely true is that Vasquez used to hide from the sheriff among the jagged rocks that today bear his name.

One story says that Tiburcio Vasquez, who was also a womanizer, had an affair with the wife of one of his lieutenants. The jealous husband shot and wounded Vasquez, but couldn’t kill him. Furious that he failed, the husband informed the lawmen that Vasquez and his men were hiding among the rocks.

Two posses moved in and surrounded the gang in the natural amphitheater, just south of the tallest rock formation. During the attack Vasquez was wounded, but managed to escape to the Mohave Desert. However, the posse caught up with him eventually. Vasquez was tried in a court of law and hanged in 1875.

Even today you can still see traces of the bandits’ fires on certain rocks that form natural fireplaces.

Hiking Trails in Vasquez Rocks National Area Park

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a hiking paradise! The Park spreads over an area of 932 acres, so there are quite a few hiking and horseback riding trails around. Here are some of the most popular ones:

If you are looking for something short, you can enjoy the half-mile Famous Rocks Trail that will take you through the most recognizable rock formations in the park. This trail is mostly flat and doesn’t involve any rock climbing, so it’s ideal for families with young kids.

If you’re not up to the short half mile hike, you can drive down this dirt road to see the most important rock formations.

Climbing the Famous Rocks

If you are looking for something more adventurous, step out of the trail when you reach the parking area at the end of the Famous Rocks Trail. Here you can climb up the slanted rock on the west side of the formation. If you follow the sandstone incline, it will take you to the top of the rocks. Just make sure you wear shoes with good traction as the rocks may be slippery.

You can return the same way you came, which is what we did. Or you can scramble down the east side of the Famous Rocks.

This is a 2.7-mile loop trail that starts near Agua Dulce. The route is moderately challenging and takes an average of 1 hr 5 min to complete. Vasquez Rocks Trail is popular for both hiking and horseback riding, so expect to encounter many other people while on it.

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the park and can be connected with a Foot Trail to form a 3.4-mile loop with 325 feet of elevation change. The route is considered moderately challenging and takes about 1 hr 45 min to complete.

The loop passes through impressive sandstone formations from where you can enjoy great views of the park. Keep your eyes open of some interesting petroglyphs (most likely from the Native Americans who inhabited this area).

As you may expect, the striking rock formations pointing at a 45-degree angle made Vasquez Rocks an extremely popular filming location. As a result, the Park was was the setting of countless motion pictures, TV shows, music videos, and video games.

The first movie ever filmed here was Warewolf in London , in 1935, followed by One Million B.C. (1940) and The Ten Commandments , in 1956.

Some of the movies filmed at Vasquez Rocks were The Flintstones ,  Planet of Apes ,  Austin Powers ,  Galaxy Quest , and Cars . But perhaps the most popular of all were the Star Track productions, which included ten television episodes and three movies.

If you stray from the Agua Dulce trail (at the back of the Visitor Center) you may notice the remnants of a stone fireplace at the top of a small knoll. This was once a 300 acres ranch, that even had a swimming pool overlooking the Vasquez Rocks.

The property was acquired by Jefferson Asher, a wealthy Los Angeles industrialist who built here the Asher Ranch, in 1934. The family used the ranch as a summer retreat, but also to raise cattle, pigs and horses. When the pool was built they discovered some old Indian burial sites around it.

In 1970, the Asher family sold the ranch to the county of Los Angeles, thus considerably increasing the size of Vasquez Rocks County Park. They also donated all the artifacts discovered on the site to the Los Angeles County Museum.

In 1971, after the ranch was sold, an earthquaked seriously damaged the house and all the structures around it. The county decided to bulldoze the building for liability purposes, as they feared people may want to climb on its rubble and get hurt.

Unfortunately, when the officials ordered the bulldozing they didn’t realize the pool was resting on an archaeological site that was part of the National Register of Historic Places. As a result, the site was destroyed and only bits and pieces could be salvaged.

Today, the only thing remaining from the Asher Ranch is the stone fireplace and a concrete platform.

Practical Information

It takes less than an hour to get to the Vasquez Rocks from Los Angeles, driving north on the Fwy 5 and east on Highway 14. The address is:  10700 West Escondido Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91350 . 

The Park is open every day of the week, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The trails are beautiful to hike year-round, except for a few hot days during the summer months. A trail map is available at the Visitor Center which is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I recommend stopping at the Visitor Center first and taking a map. There are many offshoots and foot paths in the Park, so it’s easy to get lost.

Also, the Visitor Center has some good exhibits of the birds and the snakes in this area. And, if you are curious, you can check all the movies that have been filmed in the Park.

No fee or permit is necessary for hiking. Dogs are welcome, but they must be on leash.

As Vasquez Rocks Park is less than an hour from downtown Los Angeles , you can stay in one of the hotels in the city, or stay in other areas of L.A. But is you want to be even closer to the site, you should stay in Santa Clarita. Here are some hotels around this area that you could try:

• (8.5 mi)  Triplodge of Santa Clarita
• (6.4 mi) Soledad Canyon RV & Camping Resort 
• (8.6 mi)  Super 8 by Wyndham Santa Clarita
• (10.5 mi) La Quinta Inn by Wyndham/Santa Clarita

Because of its proximity to Los Angeles, the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a very popular weekend getaway for locals and visitors to California as well. So if you are a visitor and have more than just one day in Los Angeles , I encourage you to include this park in your itinerary. Much like Death Valley , which is one of the few  National Parks close to L.A ., Vasquez Rocks is a fascinating and unique place that you won’t soon forget.  

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Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

Reader Interactions

April 6, 2023 at 2:41 am

I went to Vasquez rock last Saturday morning. It is said to be one of the must-see natural attractions in South Bay. The must-see Natural Wonder is also the location of many movies, including StarTrek. It feels like a very suitable place for walking and hiking out of the city. The closest natural beauty outside of Los Angeles. It is less than an hour’s drive from downtown Los Angeles. The park is not big. It consists of several flake rocks that can be climbed. It is very characteristic and many people climb up. If you have less time, you can choose to simply climb directly and take pictures below.

April 6, 2023 at 4:56 pm

You are right, the park is not big which makes it a great day trip from Los Angeles.

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10 great sites for a 'Star Trek' pilgrimage

Forget the beach. Star Trek fans can venture to the 23rd century for vacation this year. Cities and filming sites are playing up their ties to the science fiction series with tours, displays and festivals, says Dayton Ward, author of Hidden Universe Travel Guides: Star Trek: The Klingon Empire (Insight Editions, $19.99), an intergalactic handbook. And with a new series, Star Trek: Discovery , now running on CBS All Access, interest continues to grow. He shares some real-world spots for a “Trekcation” with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.

Riverside, Iowa You’ve got to hand it to the folks of Riverside. Although Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry said that leading character Capt. James T. Kirk was from Iowa, he never named a city. In 1985, the Riverside city council claimed the honor, passing a resolution declaring it to be the cocky commander’s hometown. And Star Trek writers eventually confirmed it, placing scenes in a Riverside of the future. Now the city has an historic marker and museum, and hosts an annual festival. trekfest.com

Star Trek: Original Series Set Tour Ticonderoga, N.Y. No need to beam yourself up to the USS Enterprise. Trekkie extraordinaire James Cawley used original blueprints to painstakingly recreate the original 1966 television studio set in upstate New York, complete with bridge, engine room and sick bay. “It’s jaw-dropping how accurate it is, with the same doors, panels and knobs,” Ward says. startrektour.com

Titan Missile Museum Tucson Even non-Trekkies will be fascinated by this site, which preserves an actual nuclear missile silo. The National Historic Landmark is the sole remaining intercontinental complex in the country. And it also happens to appear in scenes from the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact . titanmissilemuseum.org

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park Agua Dulce, Calif. There’s a reason this tilted rock formation in Los Angeles County looks familiar. “It shows up multiple times in the original show,” Ward says, most famously when Capt. Kirk fights an armor-clad reptile named the Gorn. “You can visit every day — unless it’s closed for filming.” parks.lacounty.gov

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Vulcan, Canada This tiny Canadian prairie town didn’t take its name from the logic-prone alien species. But it profits from the connection with an Enterprise monument and Vulcon, a Trek festival scheduled for July 22-23. “It’s the Star Trek version of Woodstock or Burning Man,” Ward says. The town also plays a starring role in a song and music video by indie band The Rural Alberta Advantage. vulcantourism.com

Valley of Fire State Park Nevada This stunning sandstone park near Las Vegas attracts mountain bikers, hikers and devotees of the 1994 Star Trek: Generations film, who recognize it as the alien planet Veridian III. Ward notes that another film, Galaxy Quest , a parody of Star Trek , was also filmed here. parks.nv.gov

Broken Bow, Okla. The pilot episode of the Star Trek: Enterprise television series takes its name from this southeast Oklahoma town best known for mountain parks and bass fishing. In an example of future history, this is where an alien ship is destined to crash in 2151. “That gets us involved with the Klingon empire for the first time,” Ward says. visitmccurtaincounty.com

Roswell, N.M. Seventy years ago, a tiny New Mexico town made global headlines when the U.S. military reported the crash of a flying saucer. Decades later, the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine claimed responsibility, showing how several of its time-traveling characters caused the scare. The city, now home to a UFO festival, museum and research center, doesn’t discount any theories. seeroswell.com

Naval Air Station Alameda, Calif. This Bay Area military base saw some serious action in the film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . It’s where characters Uhura and Chekov raided a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to steal radioactive isotopes to fix their starship. The decommissioned post, now undergoing redevelopment, has a small history museum outlining its World War II history. alamedanavalairmuseum.org

Bozeman, Mont. Mark your calendar for 2063, because this scenic college town will play a monumental role in global history. That’s when a Vulcan ship will arrive and humans and aliens will finally meet. At least that’s how the story plays out in Star Trek: First Contact , actually filmed in California and Arizona. But Ward’s undeterred. “Fifty years from now, maybe fans will gather and see what happens. If I’m still around, I’ll head up there.” bozemanchamber.com

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VULCAN TOURISM

& trek station, “this town is absolutely amazing. as a star trek fan this town was very exciting to see. everything has a star trek theme.”.

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Star Trek Original Series Set Tour

Trekonderoga.

Trekonderoga will be May 17, 18, and 19 this year. The Star Trek Set Tour is excited to welcome for the first time LeVar Burton, and Clint Howard and welcome back Jonathan Frakes, and Walter Koenig!!!

Trekonderoga is also excited to welcome the Inglorious Treksperts Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, The Fifty-Year Mission), Ashley Miller (Thor and X-Men First Class), and Daren Dochterman (ST: TMP – Director’s Edition)! They are the ultimate authority in Star Trek podcasting! They will be available to sign autographs, greet fans, and host a Live on Stage. Tours with the Trekperts will be available on the ticket page soon! inglorioustreksperts.com

Please return to this page for a schedule link in April!

New COSPLAY Adventure!!!

The Star Trek Set Tour is excited to announce our brand new ticket, Cosplay Adventure Tours! Starting on May 21, 2024 find yourself in the episode, acting and interacting with Original Series™ characters!!!

Wear your uniform and prepare to interact with Original Series™ recordings throughout the ship! We will provide the scripts for you to act out your Star Trek dreams! Our tour guides use your phone to film you and take photos as you interact with 5 different stations throughout the ship, including the transporter. These are your memories to keep and cherish. Nowhere else on earth can you do this on a licensed Star Trek set. Get your tickets and live the episodes, and your dreams, today!!!

Please allow up to 2 hours for your Cosplay Adventure. Due to time constraints parties must be 3 people or fewer. For bigger parties please contact us about hosting a private event.

1 Person – $100 2 People- $190 3 People- $280

July 12, 13, and 14

The Captain, William Shatner returns for his first visit in 2024!

Special Photo Tours!

Come take a special photo tour of the set! Wear your Starfleet finest and our photographer will photograph you in each room.  We will take 2 or 3 shots in each room in fun poses! You will receive your photos by digital download* to enjoy!  Prices start at $49.99. Your Star Trek memories are priceless. Book your photo tour today!!!!

*Digital delivery by email only. Call us at 518-503-5497 for more information.

Tour the Set!

Fall (Sep. to Oct.)

• Tue.-Fri. 10-5

Winter (Nov. to Apr.)

Summer (May to Aug.)

• Tue.-Sat. 10-6

Come for a tour, Stay in the area!

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David Gerrold

Shatner July 2024

Trekonderoga 2024

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at the Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, view the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

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DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

AP AUDIO: Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the return of the original model of the USS Enterprise from the TV show “Star Trek.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

Quentin Tarantino Scraps ‘The Movie Critic’ as His Final Film

By Pat Saperstein

Pat Saperstein

Deputy Editor

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Quentin Tarantino is no longer planning to make “ The Movie Critic ,” which he had earlier said would be his final film as a director. It was confirmed Wednesday that the director had given the project a thumbs down.

“The Movie Critic” would have been Tarantino’s tenth feature film, but sources say he won’t be looking to rewrite the script or revive the project, instead making plans to move on to something new.

Popular on Variety

The plan to film “The Movie Critic” was moving along before Tarantino had a change of heart. In addition to casting Pitt, the production had secured a $20 million tax subsidy from the state of California.

It’s not clear what project the auteur might choose as his next film, as he had also decided against an R-rated “Star Trek” film in 2019 , saying it was too big a project. “Look, I might come up with a really big idea. But right now, the idea of a smaller audience almost all the way around is appealing to me,” he said at the time.

In 2022, he tossed around the idea of making an eight-episode TV series , but that too never came to fruition.

The news was first reported by Deadline.

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

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