New York – Hunger Games Exhibition

When researching attractions and monuments and things to do in New York I came across the New York – Hunger Games Exhibition located in Times Square

 Having read and watched all of the Hunger Games I was eager to go. I read reviews and watched videos of the exhibition. Excited, I persuaded my parents to join me saying it could be one of the day trips in our New York experience. We went onto their website and booked and reserved tickets. 

Arriving on the Sunday and having our tour bus excursions and boat trip on the Monday & Tuesday, we decided to go to the exhibition on the Wednesday, leaving New York monuments on until Thursday, before leaving to go to Orlando on the Friday.

Next we chose the time slot in which we would go. Wanting leisure time in the morning and time to go and sightsee in New York, we chose a 2pm slot. On submitting our ticket order, we found that disabled tickets would allow us to have assistance if necessary, it would also give us other privileges such as getting the carer tickets half price. Being disabled does have its perks.

On the day of the exhibition we wound our way through Time Square to the exhibition. Going inside, the Hunger Games exhibition seemed to be a very large exhibition hall, amongst other exhibitions happening at the same time, while there were various posters advertising the exhibitions previously on show, the ones currently there and the ones coming in the future. Then on the screen over the front desk was showing mini trailers of the exhibitions currently on show including the Hunger Games Exhibition.

Excited, we took the route to the Hunger Games Exhibition. Stopping just outside the exhibition hall, we saw an assistant offering us headsets to use. Using the headsets, we could select a character to be our guide through the tour, giving us insider information on each of the items were look at, sets, props and costumes. 

The choices of the guides were between Effie Trinket, the district 12 escort, who my mom chose, Hamitich the district 12 mentor which my dad chose and finally I chose Cina, the district 12 stylist. Once we had our headsets and our instructions we walked through another hallway into a small cinema room.

Sitting down we were shown a montage of the films in the Hunger Games series. After this a hologram of Effie Trinket appeared and spoke about the story of Katniss Everdeen followed by another montage of clips from the films, particularly focusing on Katniss.

 The hologram of Effie Trinket reappeared and spoke lines from the film “May the odds be ever in your favor.” The hologram disappeared and two doors opened to reveal the rest of the exhibition. Walking around the tour we saw different props, sets and costumes that were in the films of the series. 

First we were saw Katniss’ house in District 12, included the props and costumes featured on the set. The costume that stood out to me on this set was Katniss’ hunting outfit that she wore in the first film, along with her hunting jacket, which I love. 

As we progressed through the tour we saw various props, sets and costumes seen in often in order to when they were featured in the series of films. After the district 12 sets, props and costumes there were the President Snow and Ceaser Flickerman’s costumes, which they wore on set in the capital. These were often placed in the set of President Snow’s mansion or the set where the tribute interviews are held.

Close by were the sets, props of the carriage riding scenes including the costumes Petta and Katniss wore. In amongst this there were the dresses that Effie Trinket wore in at least one Hunger Games films. Beside these there were the sets and props and costumes featured as part of the victory tour sequence including that at President Snow’s mansion. 

Around the back of these sets was a small room in which when you entered was set up just like the game maker’s room with all the costumes the tributes/victors wore in the games, including the 75th Quarter Quell surrounding me. 

This was an interactive experience where you could pretend to be game maker for the games, setting the traps and planning deaths for the unlucky tributes. 

I felt that being surrounded by the costumes the tributes/victors wore put me in the right frame of mind when I controlled the games. I felt I could envision myself being game maker, but I would be very reluctant to kill anyone to find a victor.

Next to this was another interactive opportunity; we were able to put our own sequence together using choices of scenes from the film. I was able to choose a combination of my favorite scenes, that wouldn’t usually go together and use my knowledge from media course at Bournville as well as my creative skills to twist them to work. Once finished we were able to watch the sequence we had created. I really enjoyed this creating and watching this sequence, as I really wanted to be a part of the film industry when I’m older. 

Then about half way through the tour, there was a Ceaser Flickermam hologram just like the one of Effie Trinket at the cinema screening. Getting a closer look, it was set up like an interview like the ones Ceaser Flickermam did with the tributes before the games, with a vacant chair opposite. Coincidently I was dressed in an orange dress, similar to one that Katniss Everdeen was wearing at her very first interview with Ceaser Flickermam. Deciding to, I sat in the vacant chair and pretended to be interviewed, it was very surreal.

Around the back of this was Katiness’ wedding dress that she wore on the interview with Ceaser Flickermam, the night before the 75th Quarter Quell and right beside it was her Mockingjay dress that Cina had created for her wedding dress to turn into n front of the audience. This then led onto the sets, costumes and props featured in Mockingjay Part 1, like when Ceaser Flickermam interviewed Petta about his and Katiness’ involvement in the rebel plot and Petta defended Katiness’ honor.

 Then there were the sets, costumes and props featured in the sequence where President Coin showed the video of Katniss in district 8 and the follow up speech. Finally, and probably most importantly was the costume Mockingjay suit that Cina created for her before his death.

Walking around the corner we saw a very long queue of people was lining up for something we could not see. Joining the queue we saw screens planted on the wall, showing people standing in front of a green screen. 

Then a few minutes later as shown on the screen these people appeared in a carriage just like the one tributes rode in before the games on opening night, then the carriage appearing in the grounds of President Snow’s mansion, then having to parade around and wave to the crowed. 

When it was our turn, dad stood back while mom and I had a go. Positioning ourselves and waved enthusiastically to the invisible crowd.

Looking to the screen above we saw ourselves riding in the carriage around the mansion and heard the sounds of crowds cheering us. 

Stepping away from the green screen, we were able to watch the video, we looked like a right pair of show offs, and laughing to ourselves we decided to purchase the recording.

 At the end of the tour, we left and circled back to the front and saw there was another queue. Different groups were stepping forward and posed in front of a background. Various times photos were taken as each group did different poses from the film, including making the mockingjay symbol. Mom and dad weren’t very good at this, but it made it all the funnier.

Taking the lift up to a different level of the exhibition hall, led us right into the gift shop full of souvenirs. Walking around the gift shop, there were all sorts and I wanted everything. After restricting myself and making difficult decisions I decided to buy a gold and silver necklace with a circle enclosing a mockingjay in flight.  I also brought some notebooks and pens with the mockingjay symbol on, which I couldn’t resist. I have such an addiction to them. Haha!

The Hunger Games experience completed my New York experience and I was excited to tell everyone about it, recommending that when they go to New York they add that to their itinerary. Sadly a few weeks after we left New York, we heard that the Hunger Games Exhibition in New York had closed, however there was one still and is currently open in San Fransico.