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Reflections

The Power of Presentation

I love the Experience Music Project in Seattle, WA. This past weekend, Kristina and I visited the museum in order to see the Icons of Science Fiction exhibit. There were tribbles and uniforms from Star Trek, a sentinel and Neo’s jacket from The Matrix, and a whole plethora of paraphernalia that reminded us just how geeky we really are.

We started in the Icons exhibit, but afterwards went next door to the horror exhibit, Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film. I was flat-out blown away by the immersive nature and design of the attraction. The low light and creepy music, along with a well-designed video parlor in the center of the room, made the science fiction exhibit seem incomplete.

There were aliens, critters, props galore. Mr. Pointy, chainsaws, sketchbooks, and video interviews. I was instantly hooked.

There is tremendous power in the design and implementation of a museum experience. We rushed through the science fiction portion compared to the horror exhibit.

I especially enjoyed the secret door by the video interview with Eli Roth that sounded like someone was being tortured behind it. Somewhere, a team of attraction designers are content with the job they did at the horror exhibit at EMP. I know I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely return in a heartbeat (especially if there was a heartbeat in the floor).