It belongs in a museum....

Here it is, the chance to get in touch with your inner superhero. Or super villain. Or both.The Patty & Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art, the visual arts partner of the Naples Philharmonic Center that shares space with Naples' iconic concert hall in Pelican Bay, is opening its 2012-13 season with an exhibit that is "out of this world."

In fact, "Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television" is the title of the exhibition, featuring original costumes from some of the most beloved sci-fi and fantasy movies and television shows of all time. As clips from the films play, you can wander through a collection of the capes, jumpsuits, prostheses and masks actually worn by the actors and actresses in the movie scenes.

The peaked hat of the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz" stands close by Arnold Schwarzenegger's leather jacket from "The Terminator," bullet holes and all. And speaking of leather jackets, Indiana Jones' is there, along with his whip and — literally — the Holy Grail, the prop chalice from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."


"Star Trek" in its many permutations is well-represented, with William Shatner's "Evil Kirk" costume, plus the cartoonish form of Gorn, the creature he was forced to do battle with in one memorable episode. Captain Jean-Luc Picard's uniform from "Star Trek: the Next Generation," is next to the form-fitting Seven of Nine costume worn by Jeri Ryan, in "Star Trek: Voyager."

From the many large and small screen versions of "Batman," Robin's tunic from the original TV series shares space with George Clooney's costume from "Batman and Robin," plus Jim Carrey's Riddler outfit.

If you go

Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television

When: Saturday, Sept. 22 through Dec. 30.

Museum hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Patty & Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples

Cost: Free, children 17 and younger and museum members; $5, students with valid ID; and $10, adults

Information: 239-597-1900 or www.thephil.org

"You can really see how the level of craftsmanship really progressed through the years," said Chris Erickson, the museum's exhibit designer, comparing Robin from the 1960s to Batman from 1997. "The quality and attention to detail really takes a jump along the way."

The costume designs, Erickson said, truly are works of art that happen to be incorporated into a larger-scale work of art, the movie or television show in which they appeared. Especially in a fantasy or sci-fi setting, the costume designer uses visual cues to evoke a reaction from the audience, based on how the character is supposed to make you feel.

Most of the costumes and artifacts on display come from the personal collection of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and all come by way of the EMP Museum in Seattle. EMP curator Jacob McMurray said by telephone the exhibit is the most popular his institution has ever done. It has traveled to 15 museums worldwide.

Paul Allen would never have to hit Party City at the last minute if he needed a costume for Halloween.

"Yeah, I guess he could wear these, but I don't think he does," McMurray said. These film costumes "have a resonance, a mojo," he said. "You're not coming to learn history when you see these; you're coming to relive your own. It takes you back to the first time you saw 'Blade Runner' or 'Star Trek.' "

Asked if he could estimate the value of the pieces shown, McMurray demurred, saying they would range individually from the tens of thousands well up into the hundreds of thousands.

"Over the last 10 to 15 years, the market for props and movie memorabilia has skyrocketed," he said. "What used to be given to the actors is now kept, to help the filmmakers recoup their costs."

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