Brian Harris, vice president of marketing for Imagine Exhibitions Inc., steps on a mat in front of a sleek television monitor. On-screen, a stunt choreographer takes him through a short fight sequence — swivel to the right, fists up, duck under the invisible opponent’s punch. Soon, the two are moving in unison.
This is just one of the interactive stations positioned throughout the new “The Hunger Games: The Exhibition,” which opens April 1 at the Frazier History Museum. It’s a completely immersive experience — even the elevators have been renovated to look like something you would see in the film.
“As you can see, it’s been branded to look like a freight car from District 12,” Harris says as the doors shut with a thud.
This is the fourth tour stop of the the “Hunger Games” exhibit. It has only been seen by visitors in New York, San Francisco and Sydney.
“It feels amazing to be here in Louisville, to be in Jennifer Lawrence's hometown — the home of Katniss Everdeen,” Harris says, referring to the character Lawrence played in the “Hunger Games” film series. “The exhibition is just superb here at the Frazier, and personally I feel this is the best installation of the show we have seen so far.”
We pass over a thousand costumes and props from the movie, including the original Mockingjay pin, as we weave through the different worlds represented in “The Hunger Games” -- from District 12 to the Capital.
But, Harris says, this exhibition isn’t just for show. It has interactive educational tools for school and youth groups, like an exploratory map of Panem, a gamemaker’s control table, and the aforementioned stunt choreography activity.
Organizers also hope the exhibition — which is presented in association with Lionsgate — will have a positive effect on Kentucky tourism as well.
During a February news conference, Mac Brown, the Frazier History Museum Board President, said: “They (the Kentucky Cabinet of Tourism, Arts and Heritage), with the Frazier and Lionsgate, have developed a marketing campaign which will bring incremental tourism to our region and state parks, encourage visits to Appalachia, and support the overall efforts of promoting Kentucky as a great place for the movie business.”
A portion of each ticket sold to the exhibition will go to the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation.
“Hunger Games: The Exhibition” will be on view until September.