The Franklin Institute Will Host the World Premiere of the Star Wars 50th Anniversary Exhibit
The world premiere exhibit opens in February 2027 with screen-used props, immersive galleries, and never-before-seen artifacts from the Lucasfilm archives.
Star Wars is coming to the Franklin Institute in 2027. / Images courtesy of the Franklin Institute
Big news: The Franklin Institute‘s next blockbuster exhibit will take us to a galaxy far, far away.
TFI just announced this morning that it will host the world premiere of “Star Wars: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy,” the official exhibit celebrating the franchise’s 50th anniversary. The blockbuster exhibition opens February 13, 2027, and will run through September 6th before embarking on a five-year North American tour. Tickets will go on sale in November.
The 18,000-square-foot exhibition is being billed as the largest and most comprehensive behind-the-scenes Star Wars exhibition ever created — and the only official exhibition tied to the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebration. Visitors can expect more than 70 artifacts from the Lucasfilm archives, many of which have never been publicly displayed. Highlights include Darth Vader’s costume, Darth Maul’s lightsaber, original props and vehicles, and close-up looks at characters (and droids) including Grogu, R2-D2, and C-3PO.
But rather than simply displaying movie memorabilia, the exhibition explores how Star Wars came to life — “from analog ingenuity to digital reinvention,” per the museum. Galleries will delve into everything from costume and sound design to visual effects, fan art, gaming, and the franchise’s lasting cultural impact. Similar to the Franklin Institute’s Harry Potter exhibit a few years ago, the exhibit will also use RFID technology to personalize guests’ interactive journey.
“Star Wars created a cultural landscape that spans decades and delivers massive, undeniable global appeal,” said Larry Dubinski, president and CEO of the Franklin Institute. “Its influence extends far beyond cinema — shaping entertainment, culture, technology, and business, while redefining how stories are created, experienced, and shared across generations.”
The museum says the exhibition has been more than four years in the making, developed alongside Lucasfilm, Disney, and experiential design agency MDSX to celebrate both the filmmaking innovations behind Star Wars and the generations of fans who have embraced the franchise since its 1977 debut.
