鈥淭he Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition鈥� opened at a VIP event June 5 at the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix, kicking off a five-year world-wide tour that includes 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 famed C.S. Lewis-owned wardrobe. The wardrobe, usually housed in Reynolds Hall on 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 campus, is prominently featured at the beginning of the exhibition, which includes other items that Lewis used when he penned the seven-book series, 鈥淭he Chronicles of Narnia.鈥�
More than 300 adults and children attended the VIP event as Disney officials threw open the gates, revealing a new world of snow and ice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fabulous,鈥� says Doug Gresham, Lewis鈥� stepson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite moving seeing all of Jack鈥檚 (Lewis鈥�) things together with all the props and stuff from the set. It鈥檚 amazing. It really is a fantastic exhibition.鈥�
Gresham, who works as co-producer of Disney鈥檚 Narnia film series, says he remembers the wardrobe at the Kilns, Lewis鈥� former home in Oxford.
鈥淓ven as a child, I always wanted to make Jack鈥檚 books into movies,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I have always dreamt about and it鈥檚 finally happening.鈥�
In the exhibit, the wardrobe includes a plaque that says: 鈥淲ardrobes were common in England when C.S. Lewis was writing 鈥淭he Chronicles of Narnia.鈥� Lewis himself owned several, including this one. Although Lucy calls it 鈥渁 magic wardrobe,鈥� what the other children see is just a 鈥減erfectly ordinary鈥� wardrobe. Like this one, it鈥檚 鈥渂ig鈥� and has a mirror (a 鈥渓ooking-glass鈥�) in its door. Can you imagine why Lewis would choose such an ordinary entrance to the extraordinary world of Narnia? On special loan from 蜜桃传媒.鈥�
From the first room, guests pass through two large wardrobe-style doors, through several faux fur coats into the amazing world of Narnia. The exhibit includes hundreds of impressive costumes and props from 鈥淟ion Witch and the Wardrobe鈥� and 鈥淧rince Caspian,鈥� including a frigid throne for the Ice Witch and a live catapult demonstration. Dozens of interactive elements make the exhibit both educational and entertaining for children and adults. It takes about 45 minutes to walk through the entire exhibit.
鈥淣arnia: The Exhibition鈥� will remain in Phoenix through October. It is then slated to travel to Philadelphia. 蜜桃传媒 has loaned Disney officials the wardrobe for five years, and the tour will make at least two international stops.
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