July 8, 2026
The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia will world-premiere Star Wars: The Experience on February 13, 2027, the official exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of Star Wars. The show runs through September 6, 2027 in Philadelphia and then launches a five-year North American tour.
The exhibition was created by The Franklin Institute in collaboration with MDSX, Lucasfilm, and Disney Consumer Products. It is the latest in a growing trend of major museums using entertainment IP to drive attendance, after the Pokémon Fossil Museum’s U.S. debut at the Field Museum in Chicago earlier this year.
What Is Star Wars: The Experience?
The all-new exhibition spans 18,000 square feet of visually rich, interconnected galleries, featuring large immersive moments, screen-used artifacts, and an RFID-powered experience for an interactive, personalized, and cinematic journey. The RFID mechanic, a staple of major theme park attractions like Disney’s MagicBand and Universal’s TapuTapu, brings that same personalization layer to the museum floor.
The collection includes more than 70 artifacts, many screen-used and on view for the first time from Lucasfilm’s archives. Highlights include Darth Maul’s lightsaber and Darth Vader’s costume, along with Grogu, R2-D2, C-3PO, a speeder bike, and original props from Andor.
From sound design and costume creation to fan art and gaming, the exhibition covers the intersection of art, innovation, and fandom, charting the evolution from analog ingenuity to digital reinvention.
The Team Behind the Exhibition
Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute, said:
“Star Wars created a cultural landscape that spans decades and delivers massive, undeniable global appeal. Its influence extends far beyond cinema, shaping entertainment, culture, technology, and business, while redefining how stories are created, experienced, and shared across generations. The Franklin Institute is excited to put Philadelphia once again at the center of a major cultural moment with another blockbuster world premiere exhibition in 2027.”
Abby Bysshe, Chief Experience and Strategy Officer at The Franklin Institute, said:
“Star Wars: The Experience represents more than four years of collaboration, creativity, and shared vision with Lucasfilm, Disney Consumer Products, and MDSX. Bringing an experience of this scale to life takes an extraordinary amount of dedication and expertise, and together this team has created something we believe will captivate audiences and celebrate the extraordinary and lasting impact of Star Wars.”
Dan Picard, owner and creative director at MDSX, said:
“This exhibition is an authentic celebration of the ingenuity and pioneering spirit of Star Wars and its cultural impact across decades. It places fans inside unique aspects of the Star Wars saga, blending unforgettable moments, behind-the-scenes creativity, and the fandom that continues to shape the galaxy today.”
First Look at San Diego Comic-Con 2026
The creative team behind the exhibition will present the first gallery renderings and share more about the making of the show at a panel during San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 24, 2026, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM PT in Room 7AB. The panel will be moderated by Ashley Eckstein, the actor who voices Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Tales of the Jedi.
Panelists include Matt Martin, Senior Creative Executive of Franchise Content and Strategy at Lucasfilm; Portia Fontes, Manager of Physical Assets at Lucasfilm; Abby Bysshe of The Franklin Institute; Dan Picard of MDSX; and Dave Edmonds, Art Director at MDSX.
The team will discuss how they balanced cinematic authenticity with exhibition design, the visual identity of the experience, and how never-before-seen archival pieces work into a 50th-anniversary celebration.
Tickets and Tour
Tickets go on sale in November. Star Wars: The Experience runs at The Franklin Institute from February 13 to September 6, 2027. The five-year North American tour follows the Philadelphia premiere. Additional exclusive details and first looks will be released at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24.
