Over 60 original 'Star Wars' costumes are on display in NYC - here's what you'll see
After watching a quick introductory video, you're filed through a side door into a galaxy far, far away.
A total of 67 costumes are on display from now until September 5, 2016.
There aren't any replicas here. Every piece in the exhibit is an actual costume worn in one of the "Star Wars" movies.
The costumes are laid out across over 10 rooms. They even had themed music: This room, with a touch of western flair from the lighting overhead, played the Cantina music.
You can see iconic outfits like Emperor Palpatine's Senate gown ...
... and the actual Slave Leia bikini worn by Carrie Fisher in "Return of the Jedi."
That's Peter Mayhew's actual Chewbacca costume along with the Han Solo garb worn by Harrison Ford.
These are the outfits worn by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), respectively, in "Return of the Jedi" and "The Phantom Menace." Luke was dressed in black to show his conflict with turning to the dark side.
A cleverly placed Ewok hangs out with a few unlucky Stormtroopers.
A battle droid from "The Phantom Menace" is one of the special additions to the NYC exhibit.
It's not all costumes. Lightsaber hilts and blasters fill the rooms, too.
Interactive iPads throughout the exhibit show behind-the-scenes videos and concept art for iconic characters like Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
And concept art hangs across several walls through the showroom floor.
But the main event is the costumes, most of which have cultural and historical significance.
Military suits were inspired by American Navy pilots and World War I and II German soldiers. The helmet on the blue Senate Guard resembles a Trojan war helmet.
The X-Wing pilot costume was inspired by Mercury 7 astronauts, some of whom wore orange jumpsuits.
These Tusken Raiders' wardrobes are reminiscent of traditional Muslim burkas.
Senator Amidala's gown here combines a 1500's Elizabethan-style look with a headpiece and necklace inspired by African design.
The coolest room of the exhibit is a shrine to the dark side which will have you doing a double take.
The completely-mirrored room is nothing more than two dozen Stormtrooper heads cleverly placed to make it appear as if you’re in the middle of a giant clone army.
The effect is amplified as the sound of thousands of Stormtroopers marching along plays overhead.
Amid them all, one lonely Stormtrooper from the original trilogy stands guard.
Jabba the Hutt can be heard laughing menacingly over Han Solo frozen in carbonite in his own private little cell.
A closer look shows the temperature reading on the side.
The original C-3P0 and R2-D2 costumes worn by Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are joined by the new, smaller droid BB-8.
We were told this wasn't the remote-controlled version one used in "The Force Awakens."
There were several models of the small droid made for the film.
Walk by too fast and you'll miss the life-size concept art for C-3PO. The character was inspired by the robot Maria from the 1927 silent movie "Metropolis."
In addition to seeing original costumes, you learn a great deal about how they were created.
Famous bounty hunter Boba Fett actually started out as an early design for Darth Vader. His original costume was all white, like a Stormtrooper.
Senator Sly Moore appeared in the prequel trilogy movies. Her robes may look like a simple design ...
... But take a closer look and you'll notice its comprised completely of tassels.
The design for this dress, worn by Queen Amidala, almost ended up in the trash.
Not happy with the design, the artist scrawled in black all over it. When George Lucas saw it, he thought it was lace and loved it.
The most costumes in the exhibit belong to the former Queen of Naboo. Actress Natalie Portman wore 37 different outfits for Padmé Amidala in the three prequel movies.
18 of them are on display.
And they're among some of the most detailed costumes made for the movies by costume designer Trisha Biggar. This piece alone, the Throne Room Gown, took nearly two months to create.
A car battery was tucked between Natalie Portman's legs while filming to light up the yellow fixtures near the feet.
One of the most intricate costumes is the famous wedding gown worn by Natalie Portman at the end of "Attack of the Clones."
The night before filming, costume designer Trisha Biggar got the idea to add pearls to the gown.
She stayed up all night hand-sewing pearls onto the dress.
You can't argue with the result.
Remember this dress?
George Lucas helped design the leather-corseted gown himself, which is inspired by the looks of the 1930s. Here, it's covered with a feathered cape.
One of the most beautiful — and somber — rooms is a recreation of Padmé's funeral.
Floating lanterns hang and are multiplied by small mirrors of various sizes across the room.
Tucked away in his own room surrounded by quotes is Yoda.
The wise Jedi was first puppeted and voiced by Frank Oz in 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back."
Not too far off is the dark lord himself. George Lucas originally wanted Darth Vader to have a helmet like a Japanese Samurai. His costume was designed in 1976 by production designer John Barry and costume designer John Mollo.
Early concept art from artist Ralph McQuarrie shows Lucas' original intention was for him to look like a "dark lord riding in the wind."
No "Star Wars" tour is complete without a peek at the sequel. As a trailer plays on loop, you can get a closeup of our new heroes: Finn and Rey.
They're also accompanied by a costume for a female resistance X-Wing fighter pilot.
Directly across from them are three members of the new villainous First Order — a Stormtrooper, a TIE fighter pilot, and a Flametrooper.
Flametroopers are one of two new stormtroopers in the new film. They are described as "specialized Stormtroopers of the First Order. Flametroopers carry incendiary weapons that can transform any battlefield into an infernal blaze."
Source: Business Insider.
Unfortunately, this guy wasn't packing a flamethrower, but you can spot the backpack that powers it on his back by peeking around the side of the exhibit.
Costume designer Michael Kaplan used "cold blacks, grays, blues and metallic colors" to differentiate those in the First Order from the Resistance.
Many have probably seen the First Order Stormtrooper as an action figure. You may even own him. It's pretty awesome seeing your 6-inch Black Series toy as a towering life-size figure.
One last look and it's time to head out.
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