'Star Trek' exhibition is enterprising in Philly

PHILADELPHIA -- In 1966, when these words introduced a little-known drama about space exploration featuring a multinational crew, no one could have known that more than four decades later, I'd be sitting in the original chair used by Capt. James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise.

Since May 16, when "Star Trek: The Exhibition" opened at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, hundreds of people have posed in that chair, young and old, hardcore Trekkies and pop culture illiterates who don't know the difference between "Bones" McCoy and Jean-Luc Picard.

"The feedback has been really positive," said Steven Snyder, vice president of exhibit and program development. "We've got lots of different people who've been experiencing 'Star Trek' in lots of different ways, all finding something unique for them."

The exhibition encompasses the original TV series created by the late Gene Roddenberry as well as the various movies and sequels, such as "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Star Trek: Enterprise." It also includes the latest cinematic visit to the final frontier, "Star Trek," which depicts the original series' characters as young adults. The film is being shown in The Franklin's Tuttleman IMAX Theater through June 18.

During a mini-documentary that plays in the exhibit, Roddenberry, who'd been an airplane pilot and a police officer before becoming a television writer, says he created the iconic series because he was tired of writing about nothing at all.

Throughout the exhibit, there are interesting tidbits for those who have not studied every episode, character and biography of the "Star Trek" franchise. For example, non-Trekkies might not be aware that DeForest Kelly, who played Dr. McCoy, was the son of a Baptist minister, sang in the church choir and did a stint in the Army before becoming an actor.

Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lt. Uhura, once thought of leaving the show but stayed after Martin Luther King Jr. convinced Ms. Nichols that her role was an inspiration to African-Americans. You can also learn that the name Uhura was based on the Swahili word for "freedom."

There are 200 authentic objects from the TV series and films, including the aforementioned chair once used by William Shatner (Capt. Kirk). Visitors can have their photos taken while seated in the chair, which is in front of a blank wall. Later via some computer magic, a background is added to make it appear the chair is on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Another photo station makes it look as though visitors are in the transporter room. You might be tempted to say, "Beam me up, Scotty." But a panel in the exhibit explains that those words were never uttered by anyone in the original series. Who knew?

A third photo station re-creates the bridge from the series "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Visitors sit in Capt. Jean-Luc Picard's chair and appear to look into a giant window as the stars whisk by.

Folks like Capt. Kirk's chair, but "they really get excited about the bridge," said photographer Justin Laird. While he's too young to have watched the original series when it aired, he says that series is his favorite because it's the most intelligent.

Weekends can be a madhouse, according to Mr. Laird, but weekdays offer plenty of room to examine the exhibits at a leisurely pace. The first timed tickets are issued at 9:30 a.m., which helps keep it from getting too crazy. While The Franklin does not release numbers on exhibition visitors, spokeswoman Kat Stein said, "It's been doing well for us."

There are costumes galore! None of the actors seems to be the size of regular people judging by the outfits, but you can tell that Shatner's uniform from the film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is a bit bigger than the skin-tight green shirt and black pants he wore in the original series.

There's also the burgundy-and-black jumpsuit worn by Capt. Kathryn Janeway of "Star Trek: Voyager" and the giant blue velvet headpiece and matching outfit worn by Whoopi Goldberg's character, Guinan, in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

It's not just "Star Trek's" human heroes who are represented in the exhibit; it also has its share of aliens, including Klingons, Cardassians, shapeshifters and the Borg.

One section compares the fictional technology of the series with real technology. Capt. Kirk could often be heard telling his landing party to "set phasers to stun." Modern technology has not come up with "Star Trek"-like phasers yet, but there are now stun guns. Other parts of the exhibition examine the impact the series has had on NASA and the real U.S. space program, including the design of NASA's mission control room in Houston.

Some might be a little disappointed that there isn't more to do -- no buttons to push, no tricorders to touch -- and while the famous eyewear worn by "Next Generation's" blind engineer Geordi La Forge is on display, you can't try it on. But you also don't have to worry about being that nameless ensign who never makes it back from the alien planet. You can live long and prosper!

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