This past weekend, I went to the Discover Science Center aka the Discovery Cube in Santa Ana, CA. Although primarily a children’s activity museum, the Discovery Cube is also known for holding exhibitions for all ages to enjoy.
The exhibition I went to had sections for all four Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Indiana Jones franchise is pretty popular so there was a good number of people at the museum, but I wouldn’t say it was overly crowded.
As we entered the exhibition, Steven Wong, from LA on a Budget, and myself were given touch screen, handheld multimedia guides. We could put in numbers associated with different items in the exhibition and learn more about them. You also could play archaeologist for the day and find the ten (10) different stations to slide your guide over throughout the exhibition. The guide would then show a task for you to complete in the associated section. After each successfully completed task, you get an electronic puzzle piece towards your end goal of completing a picture of one of the well-known artifacts in the exhibition. This interactive element is a good idea for keeping some of the younger kids engaged.
Many aspiring filmmakers may enjoy learning about the behind-the-scenes production of a film.
The series was directed by Steven Spielberg and created by George Lucas, who also created Star Wars. In fact, you can see some connections between the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. Actor Harrison Ford is the obvious commonality between the two. Some other examples are the hieroglyphs in Raiders of the Lost Ark that represent the characters C-3PO and R2-D2, and the opening club scene in the Temple of Doom that takes place in Club Obi Wan.
While listening on the guide, I learned about the lengths the crew had to go through to get the snakes on set, where the name “Indiana Jones” came from (Hint: One of George Lucas’s long-time companions), and different ways to find the perfect location for a scene. In some cases, matte images, portraying large scenic expanses of landscapes, were used in the filming process.
In the exhibition, you will find artifacts and clothing from the movies. You will learn about the history behind the artifacts and what steps archaeologists take to prove authenticity. Tying in a history lesson with pop culture is always a good way to keep the attendees’ attention.
As you come out of the exhibition, you can experience being in front of the green screen and take a picture in front of the big picture backdrop of the famous boulder scene.
Remember to also check out the gift shop to find lots of fun, educational activities for your little ones.
There is still time for you to check out the exhibition — the exhibition closes April 21st. Non-members pay $10 after general admission ($14.95 for adults; free on first Sunday of every month for Bank of America card holders) and parking is $4 per vehicle, but it is definitely worth seeing. Also, keep on your radar the upcoming Discovery Cube exhibition, Da Vinci – The Genius, opening May 25, 2013.
