Star Trek: 40 Years of Fandom explores the cultural phenomenon that has spawned six television series, ten motion pictures, and the undying love of a legion of devoted fans. Featuring more than 600 items—from 1966 to 2006—the exhibition examines Star Trek fan culture through licensed merchandise such as action figures, toys, games, and comic books, as well as fan-generated magazines and films that circulate at conventions and online.

Six hundred fifty-seven artifacts will be on view in Star Trek: 40 Years of Fandom. They include 224 action figures, as well as toys, board games, 100 trading cards, housewares, clothing, comic books, and an array of fan club magazines and fan-generated publications. The materials reference every Star Trek television series, from the original Star Trek (1966-1969) through Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005), and all ten Star Trek motion pictures.

Star Trek: 40 Years of Fandom will also highlight the fascinating world of fan-produced films, such as Star Trek: New Voyages. These new “treks” represent the self-reflexive impulses of Star Trek fandom, in which fans become producers of new Star Trek moving images which, in turn, create a whole new fan community based around these works. Online and offline, even when official Star Trek films and television programs take a hiatus, the worldwide community of Trekkies and Trekkers keeps boldly going on new explorations, thanks to an ever growing number of fan-generated short and feature films. Thirty of these fan-produced films will be shown at an interactive station.

Star Trek: 40 Years of Fandom was organized by Rochelle Slovin, director of the Museum, and Ross Melnick, director of research. The fan-produced films were selected by Ian Peters, a Star Trek expert who is a graduate student at the University of Texas, Austin, and who researched and cataloged most of the objects in the exhibition while serving as a summer intern at the Museum.



The Museum offers guided tours for adult and youth groups, and education programs for school groups. For inquiries and reservations, please call 718-784-4520 or email grouptours@movingimage.us.