Months before a major exhibit that will show Edmontonians an inside look at the characters that populate a ‘galaxy far far away' – the building set to host will see a multi-million dollar expansion.
The Alberta government, the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Space and Science Foundation are collaborating to fund a $7 million, 16,000 square-foot addition to the Telus World of Science, which should be ready in time to host the Star Wars Identities exhibition next fall.
The Star Wars Identities exhibition will open on October 27.
The announcement of the new gallery comes as two major exhibitions are set to come to Edmonton.
Body Worlds: The Cycle of Life will open on May 25, 2013, and Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology will open on November 1, 2014.
Premier Alison Redford and Culture and Community Services Minister Heather Klimchuk were joined by Mayor Stephen Mandel, and Edmonton Space and Science Foundation President George Smith Wednesday as the announcement was made.
The province will contribute $3 million to the project, with the city covering $3.5 million – The Edmonton Space and Science Foundation will foot the bill for the remaining $500,000.
Edmonton architectural firm Dialog designed the new gallery, which is expected to be complete by mid-September.
