2001: A Space Odyssey 50th Anniversary Special Program

2001: A Space Odyssey 50th Anniversary Special Program

The Museum of Science Fiction, in cooperation with The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of 2001: A Space Odyssey with a special program featuring a film screening, special guests, and never-before-seen prop reproductions at Escape Velocity 2018: https://escapevelocity.events/2001-program

A 1:1 scale replica of the EVA pod built by Greg Nicotero, executive producer and director on The Walking Dead, will make its public debut at EV 2018. The project is now nearing completion after having been in production for several years.

The EVA pod will be on display for the first time ever alongside screen accurate replicas of two of the most iconic props from the film: a 9-foot tall Monolith replica and Clavius moon base spacesuit reproduction. The spacesuit was constructed by prop maker and 2001 aficionado Mike Scott, who also provided spacesuits to Adam Savage and astronaut Chris Hadfield for Comic-Con 2015.

Engineer and author Adam Johnson will bring his book, The Lost Science of 2001: A Space Odyssey, to a discussion panel looking back on the film and examining why it remains one of the most influential and thought-provoking works of science fiction even now, 50 years after its premiere. Johnson will be joined by Robert Godwin, the book's publisher, and Greg Nicotero. The panel will be moderated by Arthur C. Clarke Foundation treasurer and board member, Tim Logue. The panel will be followed by a book signing and film screening.

"Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the acclaimed author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, believed that it was not just science and technology that was essential for the future survival of humankind, but imagination and art as well," said Logue. "This mantra is reflected perfectly in the motto of Escape Velocity 2018 -- from imagination to reality -- and we at the Foundation are delighted to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Clarke's groundbreaking work with the Museum of Science Fiction."

A prototype of an exact reproduction and fully functioning HAL9000 wall panel will also be presented in the exhibition hall by iconic prop modeling company, Master Replicas Group. The HAL9000 production model will be available this spring. The working prototype also includes HAL’s voice and uses an Amazon Alexa interface to communicate with people.

The Museum Gallery will display a Pan Am stewardess uniform which was featured prominently in the famous "floating pen" scene in the film as the Orion III spaceplane transported Dr. Heywood Floyd to Space Station V. The uniform was reproduced in partnership with the UNC Chapel Hill graduate costume production program and features the iconic hair cap and Velcro shoes. A CAD model of the floating Parker “atomic pen” is available for free downloading and 3D printing on the Escape Velocity CAD catalog: https://escapevelocity.events/cad-catalog

Escape Velocity 2018 is the third annual convention presented by the Museum of Science Fiction. It will return to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on May 25-27, 2018 at National Harbor, MD, the site of the inaugural convention in 2016. For additional information about Escape Velocity, including details for press registration, please visit: https://escapevelocity.events/press-media/

About the Museum of Science Fiction
The nonprofit Museum of Science Fiction will be the world’s first comprehensive science fiction museum, covering the history of the genre across the arts and providing a narrative on its relationship to the real world. The Museum will show how science fiction continually inspires individuals, influences cultures, and impacts societies. Also serving as an educational catalyst to expand interest in the science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) areas, the Museum uses tools such as mobile applications and wifi-enabled display objects to engage and entertain. For a full press packet on the Museum of Science Fiction’s vision and other information, please visit: www.museumofsciencefiction.org/presspacket

About Escape Velocity 2018
The Museum of Science Fiction and NASA are partnering to bring Escape Velocity 2018 to Washington, DC. The event is a futuristic world’s fair to promote informal STEAM educational activities within the context of science fiction using the fun of comic cons and fascination of science and engineering festivals. Escape Velocity 2018 seeks to make a measurable positive impact to boost informal learning on the more conceptually challenging academic areas. Escape Velocity's mission is to attract young people to science, technology, engineering, art, and math by producing and presenting the most compelling, exciting, educational, and entertaining science festival in the United States using science fiction as its primary engine. Escape Velocity will achieve orbit on May 25-27, 2018 at the Marriott Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.