FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner, (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org
The Science Behind Pixar takes STEM to infinity… and beyond
New exhibition opens at Cincinnati Museum Center October 22
CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is giving guests their turn in the artist’s seat in their upcoming exhibition, The Science Behind Pixar, opening October 22. The interactive exhibition showcases the boundless limits of STEM, imagination and curiosity, thrilling guests as they come face-to-face with popular characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode and WALL•E.
Since Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story debuted in 1995, generations have grown up with the studio’s films and characters. CMC is excited to share the magic of Pixar and the science that brings it to life with Greater Cincinnati. The ingenuity of animators and engineers comes to light in an immersive experience that explore the science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts Pixar Animation Studios uses to bring their beloved characters to life.
“The Science Behind Pixar demonstrates how wonderfully the components of STEM intersect to create whimsical worlds and iconic characters who have defined a generation,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president & CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “With interactive elements that make the complex concepts of digital animation accessible to a variety of age groups, the exhibition will inspire the next generation of imagineers to bring their own visions to life.”
Through eight interactive areas, The Science Behind Pixar empowers guests to imagine the STEM concepts behind Pixar’s films by shining a lamp on eight of the steps in the filmmaking process – modeling, rigging, surfaces, sets and cameras, animation, simulation, lighting and rendering. The exhibition delivers an unparalleled view of the production pipeline used by Pixar’s artists and computer scientists, featuring more than 50 interactive elements.
To better understand the science and math that goes into creating the worlds and characters of Pixar’s films, guests will hear first-hand from members of the studios’ production teams. You will also be invited to experience different roles within the production pipeline through screen-based activities and physical interactive elements. Some of the activities included in the exhibition:
- Discover how camera placement and angles created a bug’s-eye view in A Bug’s Life
- Create a digital sculpture from an artist’s sketch
- Use lights to solve challenges similar to ones faced by Pixar in creating underwater scenes in Finding Nemo
- See how models are given a virtual skeleton that enables animators to pose them
- Build a robot inspired by those in WALL•E
- Try your hand at stop-motion animation of a jumping lamp and watch a short film of what you produced
- See and touch scale models of many of Pixar’s beloved characters
“The Science Behind Pixar is an interactive exhibition that offers people a hands-on opportunity to understand how we make our films,” said Jim Morris, president of Pixar Animation Studios. “At Pixar, we use science, technology, engineering, art and math – along with a significant dash of creativity and fun – and this exhibition is truly a great demonstration of how all those ingredients come together in our filmmaking process.”
Films and characters represented in the exhibition include Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Brave, The Incredibles, Up, WALL•E, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Luca and more.
The Science Behind Pixar opens October 22 at Cincinnati Museum Center. Tickets will be available soon. For more information, visit cincymuseum.org/pixar.
The Science Behind Pixar is supported locally by Anne Drackett Thomas.
The Science Behind Pixar is funded through support by Google, members of the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative (SMEC), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
###
About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized, award-winning institution housed in a National Historic Landmark. CMC is a vital community resource that sparks curiosity, inspiration, epiphany and dialogue. CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012, one of a select few museums in the nation to receive both honors. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Children’s Museum, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, Cincinnati History Library and Archives and the Geier Collections and Research Center. Housed in historic Union Terminal – a National Historic Landmark restored in 2018 and recognized as the nation’s 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects – CMC welcomes more than 1.8 million visits annually, making it one of the most visited museums in the country. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.
About Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. The Northern California studio has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL•E,” “Up,” “Brave,” “Inside Out,” “Coco” and “Soul.” Its movies and technology have won 40 Academy Awards® and the films have grossed more than $14 billion at the worldwide box office. "Luca," Pixar's 24th feature, is currently streaming on Disney+.
This exhibition was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. © Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.