The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame bills itself as the world's premier science fiction museum. The museum is located inside architect Frank Gehry's landmark Experience Music Project building at the base of the Space NeedleinSeattle, Washington, in the United States. It was founded by Paul Allen and Jody Patton and opened to the public on June 18, 2004. Members of the museum's advisory board include Steven Spielberg, Ray Bradbury, James Cameron, and George Lucas. Among its collection of artifacts are Captain Kirk's command chair from Star Trek, the B9 robot from Lost in Space, the Death Star model from Star Wars, the T800 Terminator and the dome from the film Silent Running. The X Prize trophy is currently on display in the museum's lobby.
The museum is divided into several galleries with a common theme such as "Homeworld," "Fantastic Voyages," "Brave New Worlds" and "Them!". Each gallery displays related memorabilia (movie props, first editions, costumes and models) in large display cases, posters, and interactive displays to sketch out the different subjects.
The museum replaced an existing EMP attraction called "Artist's Journey," an interactive movie exhibit that occupied element-seven (the "blue blob") of Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project (EMP). The renovation itself was a highly challenging undertaking. The building's unique structure and high-tech nature required the original design team from the initial construction of EMP to come back and tackle the new retrofit. The design team commissioned for this transformation was Miller|Hull Partnership (architect), Notkin Engineering, Inc. (mechanical engineer), MKA (structural engineer), Sparling (electrical engineer), Candela (lighting designer).
The design of the exhibits and activities within the building was led by L.D. Gertz & Associates.
The Hall of Fame was founded as the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1996 by the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (Kansas City, Missouri) and the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas. The Hall of Fame moved to Seattle in 2004, stopped recognizing fantasy authors, and became part of the Science Fiction Museum. At the time of its founding, only authors were eligible for inclusion. Beginning in 2005, the Hall of Fame was expanded to include media outside the literary, and reduced the number of authors honored each year from four to one. Nominations and inductions are now made in four categories: Film, Literature, Media, and Open. Since its founding the Hall of Fame has had two Chairmen: Keith Stokes (1996-2001) and Robin Wayne Bailey (2002-present).
A list of inductees follows:
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