Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes – EXTENDED THROUGH JANUARY 1, 2024!
DISCOVERY PLACE SCIENCE
Media Contact: Sarah Wheat | swheat@discoveryplace.org
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes
Charlotte Run Extended!
Popular exhibition will be at Discovery Place Science
until January 1, 2024
CHARLOTTE, NC (August 17, 2023) – Discovery Place Science announces that it will extend the run of Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes through the end of the year. The last time to see this popular exhibition before it heads overseas will be New Year’s Day 2024.
“Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes has been our largest and most popular exhibition in years, and we are thrilled to announce its extended run to close out the year,” said Catherine Wilson Horne President & CEO of Discovery Place. “The exhibition has brought many new guests to our Museum, and it’s been wonderful sharing all that Discovery Place Science has to offer with them.”
More than 50,000 tickets to Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes were sold in the initial run of the exhibition, and nearly half of all Museum guests have chosen to upgrade their experience by visiting the exhibition. Guests have arrived from more than 40 states—from nearby South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee all the way to West Coast and even Alaska and Hawaii—to experience one of the most comprehensively sourced and thoroughly researched exhibitions devoted to the Marvel Universe.
With more than 300 original artifacts, including some of Marvel’s most iconic costumes, props and original art, this exhibition has wowed longtime fans and Marvel novices alike with its visually stunning presentation spanning 12,000 square feet.
Discovery Place Science will also extend “Marvel After Hours,” on select Friday and Saturday evenings from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. to spotlight Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes and offer flexible viewing hours.
For more information visit discoveryplace.org.
The exhibition tells Marvel’s story in comics, film and other media and commemorates 1939’s seminal Marvel Comics #1—the first-ever appearance of Marvel’s Super Heroes—as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This exhibition has drawn widespread acclaim from audiences and press alike.
“We are beyond thrilled to bring this incredible blockbuster exhibition to our community,” said Catherine Wilson Horne, President & CEO of Discovery Place. “This is Discovery Place Science’s first post-pandemic exhibition of this caliber, and it is a true showstopper. The title speaks for itself, and we can’t wait to welcome fans from Charlotte and beyond to experience Marvel like never before.”
“Our show begins with the origins of the Marvel Universe and moves through to the present day, giving a chance to see some of the rarest and most precious objects from the past 80 years of pop culture history and pointing toward the future with work from some of today’s foremost creators,” says curator Ben Saunders about the exhibition, which is produced by Semmel Exhibitions, Marvel Entertainment, and MoPOP.
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes traces the story of the company and its influence on visual culture while also uncovering the narratives of individual characters such as Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange, giving insight into how Marvel has influenced and drawn inspiration from the ever-changing tides of popular culture; tracing how their stories have responded to historical events and addressed wider issues such as gender, race and mental illness; and honoring pioneering creators such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko, whose imagination made Marvel into the endlessly expansive fictional universes we know today.
“Marvel transformed the idea of the Super Hero in the 1960s—and beyond—by ratcheting up the visual spectacle, emotional dynamism and philosophical sophistication of the action-adventure comics genre,” says Brian Crosby, head of Marvel Themed Entertainment. “Marvel has always been a reflection of the world outside your own window and one of its most compelling messages has always been that anyone—regardless of race, religion or gender—can be a Super Hero.”
Breathtaking artifacts thrill collectors and casual fans alike, immersive set pieces and interactive installations bring the comic book world to life, and the visual aspects of the exhibition are accompanied by an immersive soundscape created by acclaimed composer Lorne Balfe. Visitors will enjoy the opportunity to travel through the mysterious mirror dimension of Doctor Strange; get up-close glimpses at concept sketches, props, and costumes from Marvel Studios blockbusters; pose for selfies alongside life-size representations of Black Panther, Spider-Man, and other characters; see the original art from some of Marvel’s most notable comics; and even step into Tony Stark’s lab to test the capabilities of the Iron Man armor for themselves.
The exhibition has been curated by an outstanding team that includes three scholars of comics – Benjamin Saunders, Matthew J. Smith and Randy Duncan, all of whom are university professors and experts in their field. Renowned comics writers and editors Annie Nocenti and Danny Fingeroth also contributed their time and knowledge to create a fully-formed picture of the Marvel phenomenon.
About Discovery Place Science
Discovery Place Science is the leading hub for science learning in the Carolinas—dedicated to the exchange of ideas, scientific exploration and creative expression to stimulate innovative problem-solving and learning. The Museum brings relevant, contemporary science to life through groundbreaking exhibitions, interactive educational programming and hands-on activities. Located in Uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street, convenient parking is available in the Museum’s parking deck—the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex—at the corner of Sixth and Church streets. For more information about Discovery Place Science, call 704-372-6261, visit discoveryplace.org, or connect with Discovery Place Science on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
