The Star Wars Universe is hitting the road, and is definitely NOT packing light. Star Wars and the Power of Costume is a 12-City touring event by the Smithsonian Institiute that showcases over 60 original costumes spanning all six films in the franchise. Along with the various costumes, fans will also learn the history of the inspiration for each costume. From the samurai that inspired the helmet of Darth Vader, to the Mongolian queens who helped create the distinct look of Queen Amidala, you will be educated in not only Star Wars history, but world history as well.

The first stop on the tour is the EMP Museum in Seattle Washington. I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening event on January 30th.  Along with the exhibit, the night included panel discussions with special guests Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Billy Dee Willams (Lando Calrissian). Other events during the night included Star Wars trivia, a string quartet playing cantina songs, and a lightsaber demonstration for both Jedi AND Sith. Available for purchase at the EMP Store is an exclusive variant cover to Star Wars #1, drawn by Mike Del Mundo.

The exhibit will be in Seattle until October 4th, 2015. More cities will be announced in the future.

Check out the gallery below of all the costumes and festivities from the EMP Grand Opening:

Are you already planning a trip to Seattle for this? Which costume is your favorite? Which one should they burn and never show again (not really)?  Let me know on Twitter or in the comments below!