‘Narnia’ comes alive at Space & Rocket Center exhibition

Here it is, back in March we announced that Narnia: The Exhibition comes to Huntsville, AL, following Star Wars. That time has finally come, and it opens this weekend!

If you’re a fan of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fictional books, “The Chronicles of Narnia,” that have been turned into hit movies, you’ll love “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition.” It opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 5 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Based on the films and books, the 10,000-square-foot entertainment and educational experience offers visitors the opportunity to tour scenes from the literary world of Narnia. Through authentic costumes, props and set dressings from the Narnia films, visitors will enter a three-dimensional world that combines the wonders of science with aspects of fantasy.

The timing of the exhibit couldn’t be better. The third installment of the Narnia movie series – “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” – will be released in December. The series’ first big-screen adaptation, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” grossed more than $745 million worldwide. The second installment, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” grossed more than $410 million.

“This exhibition is a truly captivating and entertaining experience for all ages,” said Eddie Newquist, president of Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, which organized the exhibit with the Disney company. “From the scene displays and props seen in the Narnia films, to the scientific and educational aspects of the exhibition that stimulate the senses and the mind, guests will be transported into another world to experience Narnia like never before.”

Larry Capps, CEO of the Space & Rocket Center, says he thinks the “Narnia” exhibition will help boost fall attendance. The Space Center got the exhibit a week earlier than expected and the official grand opening is Oct. 9.

“We expect that most of the people who come will be part of a group,” Capps said. “We already have a lot of school and church groups that have signed up. We expect a broad range of audience.

“We think our fall attendance in the museum will be significantly impacted.” Capps said the center has provided local schools with bookmarks with information on the exhibit that can be sent home in backpacks for parents to see.

Visitors to the exhibition will view artifacts from Lewis’ personal study and experience environments such as the famous attic and wardrobe. Once inside Narnia, visitors will encounter falling snow and other interactive and instructive elements including:

A replica of the White Witch’s throne, where visitors can sit on the icy throne and feel the chill. A nearby display describes the impact of climate change on our planet and investigates whether our planet could be frozen for 100 years, like the world of Narnia.

An area featuring King Miraz’s Castle from “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” where visitors have the opportunity to build an arch while learning about the architectural structure and strategy involved in the design.

An area highlighting the mythical creatures of Narnia, which allows visitors to create their own creatures featured in the film. Three stacks of rotating, square blocks stand in 3-, 4- and 6-foot configurations, each level featuring different aspects of a creature. By rearranging the different levels, visitors can create well-known characters from the Narnia films or mix and match the squares to create new characters.