Behind the Scenes of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition
![Front gate of the Narnia exhibit Front gate of the Narnia exhibit - HMNS Sugarland](http://www.narniaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/FrontGate-Cropped-248x300.jpg)
Front gate of the Narnia exhibit - HMNS Sugarland
On October 3, 2009, the Houston Museum of Natural Science will open the doors of its newest location in Sugarland. From earth science to dinosaurs, this 43,000 square foot building offers visitors an additional branch of HMNS. One of the first traveling exhibits this museum will host is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition.
Previously in Kansas, the exhibit will showcase costumes, props, and much more from the Narnia movies and the author’s life. An exhibit like this takes a lot of effort to move from location to location and to get ready for the thousands of visitors that will move through its halls.
Carolyn Sumners, project manager for HMNS Sugarland and the Chronicles of Narnia, answered several questions on some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of the Narnia exhibit.
![The throne of the White Witch The throne of the White Witch - HMNS Sugarland](http://www.narniaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ThroneYG5Z9418-200x300.jpg)
The throne of the White Witch - HMNS Sugarland
Q: With this being the opening of a new branch of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, is there any additional work that you have to put into setting up for an exhibit like The Chronicles of Narnia?
A: This challenge has been to solve problems before they arise — answering the question, what could go wrong when the building is finished. Will the loading dock work for large trucks and large crates. Do we need a bigger entrance door? Can everything be sent to the second floor safely? What do we do with all the crates? We discovered that we have huge limitations in the loading dock, that we had to make the front door larger, that we needed a wider ramp for unloading in the front of the building and that lots of crates really get in the way in a small museum. But all challenges have been addressed and the Narnia exhibit is on schedule.
Q: What all goes into setting up an exhibit like this?
A: Installation logistics as described above, but also how tall and wide are the pieces, what order should visitors experience the exhibit, can we make a good path. Also do we have enough power for lights and who is providing the lights and do we have any unusual electrical needs — like the ice wall which required 220 volts. Then the challenge of handling the press correctly — getting the proper approvals, which is very important for the Museum and for the Narnia staff.
![Centaurs Centaurs - HMNS Sugar Land](http://www.narniaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/CentaurLightYG5Z9538-400x266.jpg)
Centaurs - HMNS Sugar Land
Q: How are exhibits, like Narnia, transported from one venue to another?
A: 11 semi-tractor trailer trucks.
Q: Does the museum itself install the exhibit or are there people who travel with it who set it up?
A: An installation crew comes in for installation and the Museum exhibits staff assists this crew.
Q: Are there any stories about setting up the exhibit that you can share?
A: The exhibit has many strange pieces — like centaurs and tree trunks — that look very strange moving through the lower floor and being hoisted onto the second floor. With the careful planning that has gone on, the layout all fits where it’s supposed to. Because the Museum had not opened, we did not have to move exhibits out of the way — like our big T-Rex called Stan and our Science on a Sphere exhibit — both in the atrium where the lifting to the second floor is taking place. The atrium will be more cramped for future installations.
Q: Are there any pieces or interactive parts of the exhibit that are more popular with crowds than others based on the previous venues?
![Snow falls on visitors Snow falls on visitors - HMNS Sugarland](http://www.narniaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/SnowFallingYG5Z9321-400x257.jpg)
Snow falls on visitors - HMNS Sugarland
A: I predict that the snowy landscape, just after going through the wardrobe, will be very popular. The exhibit is also proving to be very popular with school groups because it can be tied to language arts, social studies, and science.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition is a magnificent exhibit, as NarniaWebbers have reported. Thanks to Carolyn Sumners and the Houston Museum of Natural Science for giving Narnia fans this behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming exhibit! Visit HMNS.org for more information.
1st! This is really cool. Since I don't live near any of the places it's being exhibited in, it's nice to have a behind the scenes peek.
I went and saw this exhibit when it was in Philadelphia. I didn't want to leave. The costumes were more beautiful and elaborate than I could have imagined. And the props; from the Ice Queen's throne, to the swords, and walking through the wardrobe it self were fun to try out.
i am going yay!! i will try to summit pics!!
It looks so amazing!!! especially the centaurs
I [i]so[/i] wish one of these exhibits was coming close to me! Looks really cool!
Lucky people to whoever goes there! It looks so fun! Wish I could go… 🙁
What fun! I would love to see the costumes.
so wish i could go!! sweet interview!! 🙂
I was able to make it to the Exhibition in Kansas City. If you have any chance to go see it, I would definitely go! I could have stayed in there for hours…the attention they payed to detail! Like the battle scenes on Miraz's shield and the embroidery and such on the costumes. Queen Prunaprismia's dress from when King Miraz was crowned was so beautiful! They even had Edmund's flashlight and chess piece, Peter's knife and other tidbits among the treasure from Cair Paravel. The highlight for me though were the Pevensie's crowns at the very end…stunning!
please do! 🙂
Wow! Cool! The exhibition looks great! Thanks for posting all about the exhibition!
Im just curious, but if they have the sword Peter used in LWW and PC in the colection,would they use that same sword for Caspian in VDT? or would they use a replica?
my friend just got a boot that is grayish blueish….y. that would be really cool if i could go to that!
I hoping to go I live in Texas.
I went to the one that was in KC, M! 😀 IT WAS ALSOME! 😀 IT WAS AMAZING! 😀 SAIL ON VDT!!!
Considering how many narnia exibits ther are they problably will make replicas for each exibit and not the real thing because it would be to unfair if one place got a real movie prop nad the others didn't and if they did that there would be a lot of fighting between the companies.
Great to all of you guys that could go and that live there cause you can go any time you want, but out of all the places they don't have one in the rocky mountains. I think they should make one in there because to tell you the truth I've never been out of the rocky mountains exept for one time and my family only spent a little time there, but thats not the point. I just think they should make one in the western united states so that people that live there don't have to wait till they're 20 to see the exibits.
Plis narnia ehxibition come to puerto rico. Here in Puerto Rico r allot of fans waiting for that exibition. Plis COOOOOoomEEEEEEe!!!!!! I love narnia
Yes! Finally something I can actually go to! 😀
Ditto on that! It seems to me that sometimes people think of the Rocky Mountains as still being desert! Um, Hello, there are a lot more people here now!
Does anybody know where I can find a schedule and list of where the exhibit will be and at what times? I want to know if there'll be any close by that I can go to in the future.
I got to see this in KC, and the attention to detail and symbolism in all the costumes and props was amazing. Go see it if you can!
Cool, wish i could see em in person!
Omg! I so wanna go there! =D
Really? 'Cause I'm just about to leave to go it! I'm not kidding! Only I'm seeing the one in Houston! I going to go preety soon, at around 8:00 I think. From what I've seen and heard, I just know it's going to be AWSOME!!! |=^D Long live Aslan!
I'm going to so maybe I can as well! Infact I'm going to day!
I xan tell you all about it if you want!
OK!
There's one today at 8:30!
Yeah,well I think the people in charge are making great decisions as they they are, and if they want to move whatever it is you want them to move, chances are they're going to get their wish and you two will get your's!
WOW! How early were you up when you posted that?!
Who? Edmund or The Exibit?
I know right!
They haven't released a list of where it is going in the future.
They don't let people take pics inside the exhibit. I'm going to go in a couple weeks. 🙂
That looks like fun!
I think he ment edmond or the actors
Oh wow! That is so awesome! I wish I could go….. 🙁
cool I want to go there
why are they showing that boy in every picture?
im going to try to go! im gonna beg to my mom, and try to come up with all kinds of rational ways to get us to go!
model….to make it appeal to children.
It was cool, wasn't it!?!? I went to the one in KC one the last day that it was open! I live in Iowa and it was like a three hour drive there! But it was SOOOOO worth it! It was a b-day present for me! I took my friend. The cloths were so amazing! Anyone who likes Narnia will LOVE this for sure! 😀
I'm going there in a few weeks!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see it!!!! Maybe I can uplode some pictures on a form for everyone to see
I hate to tell you this, but you can't take pictures. I just go back from the exhibit a couple minute ago!
Good plan! Tell me how it goes!
Who knows? I think you're right!
You really should, it's awsome!
Don't worry. There's still the new movie coming out in 432 days.
Yeah it was AWSOME! I just got back about 10 minutes ago. Kind of ironic huh? Anyway, I thought the swords that you could try to lift was the best part what. What was your favorite part?! Long live Aslan!
True.
I love it,too!
Of cours it does! It's great they've got fake falling snow and everything! Who says it can't snow in Texas?!?!?!
I'm with you Narnia Lover!
It is believe me!
The costumes are kind of weird but thats what makes them so cool!
Oh wow!I wish I could go. It looks amazing!
i went to it when it was at philidalphia. it was AMAZING!!! i want it to come to boston!
I mean which cities the exhibit's going to be going to.
Don't forget some people are in different time zones.