Posted by Chris on March 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM CST
If you haven't had a chance to visit the ultra cool Star Wars®: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, you'll want to check it out on Saturday, March 23rd. Not only will you get to see some amazing props from the Star Wars saga, but you'll get to meet Orlando native Ashley Eckstein!

Official Press Release:


Meet Ashley Eckstein, hometown hero and star of
Star Wars®: The Clone Wars™ at Orlando Science Center


Q&A Panels, Autograph Sessions and Photo Ops
Part of Final Days of Star Wars®: Where Science Meets Imagination

Saturday, March 23
10 a.m.–5 p.m.


ORLANDO, Fla. (March 13, 2013)—Meet Ashley Eckstein—hometown hero, voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars®: The Clone Wars™ and founder of the popular female sci-fi merchandise line, Her Universe™—at Orlando Science Center on Saturday, March 23 as part of the final days of the blockbuster exhibit Star Wars®: Where Science Meets Imagination.

Eckstein will participate in question-and-answer panels, autograph sessions and photo ops throughout the day. These activities are included with admission.

ABOUT ASHLEY ECKSTEIN
American film and television actress Ashley Eckstein was born in Louisville, Ky. and moved to Orlando, Fla. shortly thereafter. Ashley is an alumna of Orlando Repertory Theater and a former Walt Disney World cast member, having worked there as a dancer/cheerleader in the “Hercules’ Zero to Hero Victory Parade.”

She is currently the voice of Ahsoka Tano, the lead female protagonist in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In 2010, Ashley launched Her Universe, a company that produces licensed merchandise targeted specifically for girls and women who are fans of science fiction.

This May, Ashley will return as a celebrity co-host for Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World for the fifth year in a row. In 2005, she married former Major League Baseball player and 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein in his hometown of Sanford, Fla. which was followed by a reception at Walt Disney World.

ABOUT STAR WARS®: WHERE SCIENCE MEETS IMAGINATION
Developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. and presented by Bose Corporation®, the 10,000 square-foot exhibit explores the fantasy technologies depicted in the Star Wars films, as well as the real science behind them, and the current research that may someday lead to real-life versions of the technologies seen in the film series. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is the first exhibition to display costumes and props from all six Star Wars films with real-world technologies. The exhibit includes extensive video interviews with filmmakers, scientists and engineers, and hands-on components, including two large Engineering Design Labs, where visitors can build and test their own speeders and robots. The exhibit’s last day is Sunday, April 7.

COST AND EVENT SCHEDULE
Admission to Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is $27 for adults and $20 for youth (ages 3-11). Tickets include access to Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination as well as question-and-answer panels, autograph sessions and photograph opportunities with Ashley Eckstein. Guests can also experience all four floors of exhibits, unlimited educational films, one Hollywood feature film and live presentations. Science Center members see Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination for $12 for adults and $9 for youth.

Ashley will participate in question-and-answer panels at 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. followed immediately by meet-and-greet sessions which include autographs and photo ops. She will engage in another meet-and-greet session at 3 p.m.

In addition, guests can interact with members from the Makaze Squad of the 501st Legion, Florida Garrison from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. The 501st Legion is an international fan-based organization dedicated to the construction and wearing of screen-accurate replica costumes of villains and other nefarious characters from the Star Wars universe. The group boasts more than 5,500 active members in 47 countries as of January 1, 2012. The Florida Garrison contains the most members of any Garrison in the United States.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information on the event and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, please call 407-514-2000 or visit www.osc.org.

For more on Ashley Eckstein and the Her Universe clothing line, please visit www.AshleyEckstein.com and www.HerUniverse.com.

For high resolution photos of Ashley Eckstein and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, please visit the following Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/exyyuieoenln1x2/Ljmm_nESPI.

Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, presented by Bose Corporation®, was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0307875. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

ABOUT ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER
Located in Orlando, Fla., interactive learning and discovery await within the Science Center’s hundreds of exhibits, programs, labs, films and planetarium shows. The Science Center provides educational opportunities both within and outside its walls including field trips, family science nights at schools and community centers, and other outreach.

Orlando Science Center's mission is to inspire science learning for life. The Science Center strives to create lasting impacts on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to develop the next generation of creative innovators to fuel the global economy. Fully accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Science Center ranks as the most popular museum destination in the region. Having served more than four million people and provided field trip experiences to more than 800,000 school children since the current facility debuted in 1997, the Science Center offers rich resources for lifelong learning.

Media Contact:
Jeff Stanford, 407.514.2145 (O), 407.421.8988 (C), jstanford@osc.org
Mark Schaub, 407.514.2027 (O), 407.900.6275 (C), mschaub@osc.org


#OSC#


The Orlando Science Center will host the exhibit through April 7 before it moves to Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, IN from May 25 - September 2, 2013.
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