In 1977, Star Wars: A New Hope, the first installment on George Lucas’s famous Star Wars film series, became one of the biggest box office hits of all time.
Star Wars takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. “Star Wars introduced generations of fans here on Earth to outer space as a setting for adventure and exploration,” explained curator Margaret Weitekamp. Star Wars revived the marketplace for space science fiction as a genre in the 1970s, interest that continues today.
The original film trilogy follows an unlikely group of unforgettable characters—a farm boy, a senator/Princess, a smuggler, and an alien Jedi knight that use a special energy called "the Force"—to fight the evil Empire lead by Darth Vader.
Star Wars may have been about taking down one empire, but it sparked another dynasty—one of shows, movies, books, and more. Additional film trilogies, stand alone feature films, a variety of TV shows, and books explore other elements of the large and varied Star Wars universe, all set in the far away galaxy.
Star Wars director George Lucas, and the other artists and conceptual designers behind the look and feel of the original trilogy, grew up during the height of the Cold War and were heavily influenced by the Vietnam War. This period of conflict shaped their perspectives and portrayal of combat ... and even the Death Star.
Star Wars: The Magic of Myth explored how the Star Wars films presented the characters as figures from stories and legends, showcasing models, costumes, props, and original artwork from the archives of Lucasfilm Ltd. The exhibition closed in 1999, but you can still explore the 1990s exhibit website.
Han Solo may not have been in it for a revolution, but Star Wars did revolutionize entertainment—particularly when it came to merchandizing. Star Wars fundamentally changed how licensed toys and memorabilia were created and marketed.
Object Highlight: At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
A T-70 X-wing Starfighter hangs amidst a variety of real-life aircraft and spacecraft in the National Air and Space Museum. The full-sized vehicle, with a wingspan of 37 feet, appeared in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and is on long-term loan from Lucasfilm.
“All air and space milestones begin with inspiration, and science fiction so often provides that spark—the iconic X-wing displayed amid our other spacecraft celebrates the journey from imagination to achievement,” said curator Margaret Weitekamp.
Object Highlight: At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
In 2019, science fiction became science reality when Walt Disney World Resort opened Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge by flying two X-wings over the park. These X-wings were Boeing CV2 Cargo Air Vehicles (CAV), large remotely-piloted aircraft mounted with X-wing “body shells.” Ultraviolet spotlights illuminated the drones so that only the X-wing frame was visible.
One of the X-wing Cargo Air Vehicles is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History holds two very special droids in its robotics collection.
A long time ago (2013), and not so far away (New Mexico), a group embarked on a quest of their own: to translate Star Wars: A New Hope into Navajo. Their goal was to help preserve the language.
In the past several years an explosion of Star Wars movies, shows, and books have brought more diversity into the universe than ever before. In these recent releases, Latino actors and storylines have taken center stage.
Parsecs are actually units of distance, not time—and they exist in real life, not just in the Star Wars universe.
