New exhibit at The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History explores sci-fi’s real-world impact

What do “Star Trek,” Walt Disney, and an adventure novel have in common? A new exhibit in town suggests it’s actually quite a lot.

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History’s newest exhibit, “Inspired by Fictional Events,” opened in May and explores how science fiction, from early literary visions to midcentury television and comic books, has helped shape the arc of technological development.

“One of the main standout parts of the exhibit looks at Walt Disney’s fascination with futurism and space exploration,” said curator James Stemm.

Known more for fantasy than science, Disney’s lesser-known interests take center stage in a display filled with model spaceships, futuristic artwork and excerpts from TV broadcasts made in collaboration with scientists like Wernher von Braun. In the 1950s, says Stemm, Disney used the powerful platform of television and the immersive worlds of his theme parks to help popularize the idea of space travel in the American imagination.

The exhibit also dives into the literary roots of innovation, from the predictive nature of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the more obscure influence of a pulp fiction hero named Tom Swift.

“We also wanted to look at a few lesser known influences such as, how the inventor of the Taser created the acronym from the title of a book from 1911, ‘Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle,’” Stemm said.

But it’s the “Star Trek” artifacts and parallels that may most clearly lay out what the exhibit is all about. In the 1960s, handheld communicators, wireless ear devices and tablet-style screens were speculative tech on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Today, they’re smartphone features, Bluetooth headsets and iPads.

“These were all depicted in ‘Star Trek’ decades before they became everyday parts of our lives,” Stemm said, “I think the best examples we show are from ‘Star Trek.’”

“I’d like people to think about how real life science and technological developments often lead science fiction writers to ask powerful questions such as ‘What if?’ and ‘Why not?,’” said Stemm, “And that those questions in turn can inspire future developments.”

“Inspired by Fictional Events” runs through Dec. 31 and is included with museum admission.

New exhibit at The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History explores sci-fi’s real-world impact