Explore real props from some of NBCUniversal’s most renowned movies and television shows in this walk-through exhibit.
Upon entering the NBCUniversal Experience, you’ll find a photo history timeline on the wall detailing the studio’s early days. Along with photographs and details from iconic Universal films, you’ll learn about the founding of the company, and the evolution from film studio, to studio tour, to theme park. Adjacent to this little history wall is a display case full of merchandise from earlier days of the park, such as shot glasses, souvenir booklets, statuettes, and toys. The items in the case rotate every so often, but here you’ll find remnants of rides and attractions past such as Backdraft, Back to the Future, the original King Kong Experience, and more.
For Back to the Future fans, this is a must-see. Housed here as the centerpiece to the Experience is a fully restored DeLorean, which was placed down on the Lower Lot permanently last year. Along with the DeLorean are several other props from the films, such as the Mr. Fusion unit, flux capacitor, and the infamous Mattel hoverboard from the second film. Also included in the Back to the Future section of the Experience are several sketches and original design concepts from all three of the films. Following the removal of the ride a few years back, this section of the NBCUniversal Experience is the best place to find your favorite time travel franchise in Universal Studios.
Along the walls of the Experience are display cases that change frequently. In these display cases you’ll find costumes and props from all sorts of Universal films and television projects, both past and current. Items in the past have ranged from costumes in current Universal films such as Scott Pilgrim, props from classic shows such as the Rockford Files and Law & Order, and original scripts and sketches from the old Universal horror films. The items rotate through often, as items are removed for cleaning and to allow for new displays according to the season (for example, items from The Grinch during Grinchmas, and horror films during the Halloween Horror Nights season). If you enjoy film history, you’ll want to check this section out each time you visit.
Towards the back of the Experience is a section dedicated to current film projects, highlighting advances in special effects or filming techniques. Most currently, this area is dedicated to detailing the production and development of the film Box Trolls. Past films to occupy this space were ParaNorman and Coraline, where the actual screen-used dolls and a few scenes from the film were staged and recreated. Be sure to check back every few months to see what film is currently in the works.
As you work your way back towards the front entrance, you’ll find a brag board of sorts in the form of the awards wall. Here, you’ll learn about Universal Studios’ winning past, with magazine articles and reviews adorning the wall along with information about various awards that Universal films and directors have won. On display here is a real Academy Award won by Universal for the film The Sting, as well as a short piece on the history of the award. Be sure to check out the special sub-sections on the impact and reception of E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, on the release of Universal films around the world, and on alternate language productions of Universal films like Dracula, in which the Spanish language production turned out more acclaimed than the English version!
