Museum celebrates Star Trek at 50 with artifacts, tribbles

SEATTLE (AP) — It's been 50 years since the Starship Enterprise began its five-year mission to boldly go where no man had gone before, and Seattle's EMP Museum is marking the anniversary with an exhibition honoring "Star Trek" and its influence on pop culture and society.

Exploring New Worlds opens Saturday and is filled with geeky artifacts from all the Star Trek series and movies — from sections of the original Enterprise bridge to a costume worn by Benedict Cumberbatch in the latest movie.

The museum does its best to illustrate how Star Trek was both a reflection of its times and a catalyst for social change — from a starring role by a black actress to a Russian character featured during the Cold War and interracial and same sex relationships.

The show's influence on popular culture and even architecture is also on display, including a place to listen to Star Trek inspired bands, a "Picardigan" sweater that looks like Captain Picard's uniform, and a giant red foam Vulcan salute that was given out on Star Trek night at a Boston Red Sox game.

The exhibit opens the same week that CBS released a teaser for the new Star Trek TV series and a few months before a new Star Trek movie premiers.