New Santa Monica Science Fiction Museum Joins Beach City Attractions

Santa Monica, California is the site of a new museum devoted to science fiction. SCI-FI WORLD: The Experience, is arriving in the beach city May 27^th, bringing props, replicas and images from Star Trek, Star Wars, DC and Marvel films, Doctor Who, and more.

SCI-FI WORLD will be located inside the historic former Sears building at 302 Colorado Avenue, just a few blocks away from Santa Monica’s beach and entertainment pier. The non-profit museum is a 30,000 square feet collection of science fiction and fantasy props, sets and costumes.

The latest acquisition for the new museum is the “10 Forward” set from the Paramount+ show Star Trek Picard. The set was used in the opening of Picard episode one, season one, starring Sir Patrick Stuart and Brent Spiner. The original 10 Forward set was first seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1989-1994. 10 Forward is the bar/restaurant where the Enterprise crew would often socialize, and discuss their problems with Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg.

Some of the most iconic original props and replicas from TV shows and films include The Enterprise Bridge set from Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Star Trek 1966 Original Series set, with statues of the crew.

The museum also promises artifacts from Doctor Who, Planet of the Apes, Lord of the Rings, an “Iron Man Hall of Armor” and a full-size Alien Queen and Powerloader from Aliens. Then there’s a 35-foot Millennium Falcon bounce house, a 1980s arcade on free-play, and a “living” 17-foot Giganotosaurus dinosaur.

The mission of the museum’s parent organization, the Hollywood Science Fiction Foundation, is to teach and inspire people of all ages with an uplifting vision of the future found in science fiction media, art and literature. The goal is to teach “Real Science through Science Fiction.” This will include technology, ecology, engineering, computers, robotics, math, space travel and all aspects of filmmaking, via fun, interactive exhibits and programs.

The museum will have a Hall of Heroes, a Hall of Robots and exhibits dedicated to Star Trek and Star Wars. The upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in the Exposition Park, which will presumably be a house of Star Wars memorabilia, is not opening until 2025.

SCI-FI WORLD also has a hall named Oblivion. It’s named for the futuristic film Oblivion starring Tom Cruise, about the remaining humans left on a dystopic Earth trying to save the planet. The Oblivion Bubbleship and Drones are the full-sized props used in the film. The exhibit also include video from the cast, crew and scientists explaining how the props worked in the film and how they would work “in real life.”

Tickets for HSFM start at $20 for children, $30 for adults, with discounts for seniors, military and first responders, everyone under 6 or over 90 gets in free. Tickets available at www.scifiworld.com

When you’re done with SCI-FI WORLD, there’s plenty of other things to do in Santa Monica. A day in the beach city should of course include a trip to the Santa Monica State Beach.

In addition to putting the traditional blanket on the sand, you can check out the original Muscle Beach outdoor workout area. And with spring here and summer coming, what better time to fly down the Santa Monica beach bicycle path on a rental bike or skates? Watching the sun set is also popular.

Main Street and the Third Street Promenade are great places to shop, while Santa Monica also boasts a farmer’s market on Wednesdays. Bergamot Station calls itself ‘the largest art gallery and cultural complex on the West Coast.’ In addition to its many art galleries it boasts restaurants and an innovative theater, City Garage.

The beach city is also the home of the iconic Santa Monica Pier, known to many around the world as the western end of Route 66.

The 100-year-old Pier has boardwalk games and attractions, a carousel, a roller coaster and Ferris wheel. There are numerous places to eat at the pier, whether you want French fries or a full meal, including, yes, Bubba Gump’s.

Unsurprisingly, the Pier was one of the filming sites for Forrest Gump. Other films and TV shows shot there include The Sting, which features the iconic carousel, Beverly Hills Cop 3, Beverly Hills 90210, Iron Man, (a child on the carousel sees Iron Man flying overhead) NCIS, Hannah Montana: The Movie and a comedy favorite of mine, A Night at the Roxbury.

And if your interest in science fiction carries over to aviation, the Museum of Flying is located adjacent to the Santa Monica Airport. SMO is now for general aviation but was the home of Douglas Aviation in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The museum (open 10-4PM Thursday through Sunday) boasts a static display of a Douglas DC-3, which was developed nearby, as well as a Sabre jet and many other mementoes of the history of flying.