EMP|SFM and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products Announce Global Premiere of AVATAR: The Exhibition Scheduled to Open in Seattle on June 4, 2011

SEATTLE, Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of AVATAR, the highest grossing film of all time, will have a chance to get a first-hand look inside the spectacular world of Pandora through AVATAR:  The Exhibition organized by Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) and scheduled to open in Seattle on June 4, 2011.  Developed in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment, AVATAR: The Exhibition will feature authentic props and costumes, interactive displays, concept models, and sketches from the blockbuster film.

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"The exhibition is going to be a unique opportunity for people to learn more not only about how the film was made, but also experience Pandora in a much deeper way.  Fans will be able to see in-person the workmanship behind the film, whether it's how scenes are captured; or how a Na'vi costume was built first as a real world garment then produced digitally," said director James Cameron.  "It'll create a tactical reality that'll be a good companion to having seen the movie."

AVATAR:  The Exhibition will include elaborate displays of artifacts and props such as the actual AMP (Armored Mobility Platform) suit used in the combat scenes, soldier uniforms, and the original, hand-made models of the Na'vi characters and their wardrobes. Visitors will get to step into Cameron's role as director and experience the process of creating a film like AVATAR through a series of interactive installations that demonstrate the groundbreaking usage of motion capture, virtual and 3-D technologies in film. The creation of Pandora will also be explored, revealing the science behind the universe, the creatures, the plants and origins of the Na'vi culture.

"We're honored to work with James Cameron and debut AVATAR: The Exhibition at our museum in Seattle," said Brooks Peck, Associate Curator at EMP|SFM.  "AVATAR completely revolutionized filmmaking, advancing production technologies and processes, and forever changing how we watch movies.  In the exhibition, we'll bring to life the imagination of AVATAR as well as the technological innovations Cameron mastered to capture the magic on-screen."

Robert Marick, Executive Vice President of Fox Consumer Products added, "This installation continues an effort on behalf of Fox to bring the AVATAR experience to life off the screen.  The exhibit will be a true tribute to the amazing world created by James Cameron and to the fans that celebrate it."

AVATAR:  The Exhibition will run in Seattle through September 3, 2012, and then travel to  other major arts and cultural institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

ABOUT EMP|SFM

Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music and the thought-provoking ideas and experiences of science fiction.

ABOUT THE EMP|SFM BUILDING

Since EMP opened in 2000 and SFM in 2004, EMP|SFM has welcomed more than 5 million visitors through its doors. From its museum planning stages in 1998 through 2009, EMP|SFM has been a key economic driver among Seattle nonprofit arts and culture organizations, with combined EMP|SFM institutional expenditures and EMP|SFM audience-member spending resulting in $651 million dollars of local economic impact. EMP|SFM is housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building. This spectacular, prominently visible structure has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center.

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONSUMER PRODUCTS

A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

ABOUT AVATAR

Since its global theatrical release last December, AVATAR has continued to make motion picture history. Written by James Cameron and produced with his long-time collaborator Jon Landau, AVATAR stars Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.

The Oscar® and Golden Globe® winning epic is the highest grossing film of all time, taking in over $2.7 billion in worldwide box office. Director James Cameron takes audiences to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. AVATAR delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the epic nature of the story. On November 16th, the AVATAR Extended Collector's Edition Blu-ray, a three-disc set with over eight hours of never-before-seen material, 45 minutes of amazing deleted scenes and in-depth exploration into the world of Pandora, released in North America and internationally from November 15th.

SOURCE Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum