Out of This World

Imagination takes flight on North Lawn

The setting for Crystal Bridges’ Sci-Fi Outdoor Movie Series, which kicks off on July 26 with the 1956 classic “Forbidden Planet,” is the North Lawn of the museum. It’s directly in the shadow of the futuristic-looking R. Buckminster Fuller creation “Fly’s Eye Dome” — and adult public programs manager Sara Segerlin says that was no accident.

“We thought bringing these futuristic films to screen right next to the dome would be great synergy and make you feel like you were out of this world,” she says.

The space-age geodesic dome is one of only three prototypes created by Fuller, surfboard manufacturer John Warren and architect Norman Foster. Crystal Bridges owns the largest of the three prototypes created.

Equal care was taken in choosing the three movies to be screened during the series. In addition to “Planet,” audiences will be treated to 1977’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and 1982’s “E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial.” All three hold a place on the Library of Congress National Film Registry, a list of films considered “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

“These are major films, all a part of our American history,” says Segerlin. “We’ve had a lot of fun choosing them. We definitely wanted films that will captivate the audience and bring them closer to the futuristic environment of the museum. This museum space is truly out of this world — sometimes, if you look at it, it kind of looks like a flying saucer or a spaceship that has landed in the middle of the Ozarks. We’re hoping audiences can get into that kind of mindset.”

In fact, says Segerlin, audiences are encouraged to come dressed in sci-fi garb.

“If you want to come dressed as Robby the Robot, please do,” she says with a laugh. “We also want to encourage people to ride their bikes to the festival — the North Lawn is connected to all of the awesome bike trails.

“You never know, maybe after the movie, you’ll ride off into the moon, like the end of ‘E.T.’”

Courtesy Photo CrystalBridges adult public programs manager Sara Segerlin encourages guests at the museum’s Sci-Fi Outdoor Movie Series to focus on “the futuristic environment” of the museum space — and consider really getting into the spirit by dressing in their favorite science fiction costumes.