Asimov's SF, July 2006

by Dell Magazine Authors

  The most ingenious stroke of promotional activity with which the Crystal Palace Company stoked public interest in the dinosaur project was a formal dinner for twenty-one scientists that took place inside the full-sized mold from which the concrete Iguanodon was to be cast. The invitation read, “Mr. B. Waterhouse Hawkins solicits the honour of Professor—'s company at dinner, in the Iguanodon, on the 31st of December, 1853, at four P.M.” A woodcut published in The Illustrated London News not long afterward brings the event to life for us: the Iguanodon mold, open along the back from the nape of the monster's neck to the curve of its rump, is set upon a wooden platform under a cloth tent on which the names of Cuvier, Mantell, Buckland, and Owen, the scientists most prominent in the rediscovery of the dinosaurs, are inscribed. Within the mold Waterhouse Hawkins and his twenty-one guests, resplendently dressed, are seated around a long table with Owen, the only living member of that quartet of famed paleontologists, at its head. At the end of the meal, the newspaper tells us, “the usual routine of loyal toasts were duly given and responded to"—with reference being made to the “great interest evinced and approbation expressed” by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their recent visit to the site.

  Another contemporary woodcut from the Illustrated London News—you'll find it reproduced in Scenes from Deep Time—provides a picture of “The Extinct Animals Model-Room, at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham.” It is a scene out of a nightmare. The Iguanodon, massive and implacable, stares straight out at the reader, with a ferociously toothy companion crouching at its side and three or four others visible in the shadows behind, while the diminutive figure of a workman below the Iguanodon provides a sense of scale.

  On the day in 1854 when Queen Victoria herself opened Crystal Palace Park to the public, forty thousand people were in attendance, traveling out from London aboard special excursion trains to see these monsters of the past with their own eyes. I'll take you on a tour of them myself in next issue's piece, and tell you why it is that New York City's Central Park does not have a similar exhibit created by Waterhouse Hawkins today—and I'll also explain the meaning of the curious title at the head of this column.

  Copyright 2006 Robert Silverberg

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  IN MEMORIAM

  Octavia E. Butler

  1947-2006

  Octavia Estelle Butler died suddenly on February 24, 2006. With her passing, the field lost one of its most extraordinary authors, and Asimov's lost a piece of its heart. Ms. Butler wrote very few short stories, and we only had the chance to publish two of them, but what tremendous stories they were. “Speech Sounds” (Mid-December 1983) and “Bloodchild” (June 1984) brought her three of her four major science fiction awards.

  The night she won her first Hugo was a memorable one for me. During the ceremony, in a row near the front of the audience, I sat alongside Ms. Butler. Her agent both then and now, Merrilee Heifetz, sat to her right, and Shawna McCarthy, the Asimov's editor who published both stories, sat beside Ms. Heifetz. When she won the Hugo award for her short story “Speech Sounds,” Octavia Butler became the first African American woman to receive the coveted fiction award. That night, Shawna McCarthy became the first woman to win the professional editor Hugo as well. It was a thrilling evening of empowerment and joy. The following year, Ms. Butler went on to win the Nebula and the Hugo for the magnificent novelette, “Bloodchild.” Wayne D. Barlowe's beautiful cover art provided the story with a haunting illustration. A framed poster made from the painting hangs in my office to this day.

  Ms. Butler's later awards included a Nebula for her novel Parable of the Talents, a lifetime achievement award from PEN Center West, and the Langston Hughes Medal from the City College of New York. In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur “genius” fellowship.

  Although she leaves us with a profound legacy, Octavia E. Butler's unique voice will be deeply missed.

  —Sheila Williams

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  THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS: PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF THE FUTURE—AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF THE SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM AND HALL OF FAME

  by THERESE LITTLETON

  By day, Therese Littleton is an associate curator at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. By night, she is a freelance writer and part-time science teacher.

  I'm walking through the galleries of the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame on a Tuesday morning. Down in the Fantastic Voyages gallery, expert installers are gently securing the only existing model of the Death Star from Star Wars into its cradle. Over at the new SETI display, curators are discussing the finer points of an explanatory text plaque. Upstairs, technicians have fine-tuned the sound and light levels in the Homeworld Gallery to highlight the huge video-screen globe that takes center stage.

  It's another day at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame.

  I have what some might consider the best job in the galaxy. My job title is “Manager, SFM Programs,” which means I coordinate the exhibits and activities of this amazing museum. The team I work with is small, but packed with serious science fiction credibility. Jacob McMurray is our senior curator, Leslie Howle handles educational outreach, and Brooks Peck works on curatorial, technology, and education projects. All four of us are lifelong science fiction fans, dedicated to demonstrating the genre's coolest ideas to the world.

  As an insider, it's impossible for me to be objective about the museum, considering how much time and effort I've put into it, so I hope you'll pardon my cheerful tone. This article isn't meant as an ad for the museum; rather, I wanted to reveal some of the philosophy behind our exhibits.

  * * * *

  SFM FAQ, Part One:

  Q: Can you get me a job at SFM? I am smarter/more knowledgeable than you and I would make an excellent curator/researcher/consultant.

  A: Alas, no. Although your qualifications are impeccable, we're not in hiring mode at the moment. Keep an eye on our web site for opportunities (www.sf homeworld.org).

  * * * *

  The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame is in Seattle, a very skiffy town. Besides being home to a plethora of brilliant science fiction writers, we've got a retro-futuristic monorail, a Space Needle, and more computer geeks than we know what to do with. SFM is in the same building as Experience Music Project (EMP), and both are housed in a multi-colored Frank Gehry building that sits at the foot of the Space Needle. Most of our visitors are tourists, and most of them do not consider themselves science fiction fans.

  The majority of the artifacts on display in SFM are on loan from private collectors. Some people donate things to us, but—not surprisingly—most people who collect rare books and movie props are quite attached to their stuff and want it back after a while. We are not a collecting or research institution, and we only have about two hundred objects in our permanent collection, but we have packed the museum to the gills with artifacts and images.

  Opinions vary as to the coolest thing in the museum, but some of the undisputed hits are Captain Kirk's command chair from the original Star Trek series, the enormous alien queen from Aliens, and Darth Vader's helmet from The Empire Strikes Back. Literary types tend to fancy Neal Stephenson's mountainous manuscript for the entire Baroque Cycle trilogy (handwritten in fountain pen), or a checklist of 242 story ideas from Poul Anderson. Book collectors love the many first editions on display, such as The War of the Worlds, The Martian Chronicles, and I, Robot.

  Exhibits cover the intersection between science and science fiction, as well as the history and lore of the genre. One of the most popular displays is the Armory, an exhibit packed with ray guns, blasters, knives, swords, and other weird weapons. Guests are also mesmerized by the giant Cities of Tomorrow video screen, showing detailed CGI versions of the urban environments of Blade Runner, The Matrix, and TheJetsons.

  “My favorite exhibit is usually the one that I'm currently working on,” says Jacob McMurray. “I
get really excited about delving deep into new content with which I'm not so familiar. I also like thinking about new ways to visually tell stories and methods by which I can convey content to multiple audiences—ranging from the casual observer to the radical nerd."

  Brooks Peck has recently curated our new exhibit on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). The topic lent itself more to science than fiction, so his challenge was to find a way to tie the content in with the rest of the museum. “SETI is such a complex topic, and the space for the exhibit was limited, so it was a struggle, actually, to fit in as much science fiction as I wanted,” says Brooks. “Most of the exhibit could live comfortably in a science museum. The break comes in the section on the Fermi Paradox, where we use a variety of SF stories, from Vernor Vinge to EC Comics, to explore the question of why we haven't met any aliens."

  As for me, my favorite exhibit is Not So Weird Science, and my favorite artifact is an original, hand-corrected 1919 manuscript of The Skylark of Space, by E.E. “Doc” Smith, acknowledging Mrs. Lee Hawkins Garby as a collaborator. (Smith enlisted Mrs. Garby's help to write more effective female characters and dialogue.) The manuscript is nondescript compared to the sleek Gundam battle suit models and bustling space dock view screen near it, but Skylark is quietly awesome, representing a continuum of ideas and imagination that encompasses the entire twentieth century and beyond.

  * * * *

  SFM FAQ, Part Two:

  Q: I have an amazing collection of old pulp magazines/Ace doubles/latex Vulcan ears. Would SFM like to borrow/buy it?

  A: Alas, no. We are a non-profit museum, and budgetary and space considerations prohibit us from amassing a collection. When we build exhibits, we seek out specific artifacts based on our curatorial decisions.

  * * * *

  In putting together exhibits, the SFM curatorial team knew that representing the heart of science fiction—the books and magazines that started it all—would be a challenge. It's easy to get people excited about movie props, because everybody loves ray guns and alien masks. But how do you build an exhibit that displays manuscripts, pulps, and books without being ... dull?

  Jacob explains, “Since I'm at heart a reader of SF, I find looking at rare first editions of cool books totally exciting, but I do recognize that we attract a wide audience at SFM, many of whom would find displays of only books quite boring."

  Purists will be relieved to see that we did not shirk our duty to reflect SF's literary heritage. In our exhibits, so-called “flat” artifacts are juxtaposed with exciting graphics and as many similarly themed three-dimensional artifacts as we can fit, creating a dense museum that accurately reflects the depth and breadth of the genre.

  “We employ several tacks to make SFM exciting for everybody,” says Jacob. “First, we try to integrate the books with movie props, original manuscripts with artwork, and so on. We also try to show the literary sources or inspirations of many SF films and television series. And finally, we make a point to show the authorial process and intent behind the influential texts of science fiction."

  For example, in the SF Community exhibit, we wanted to show the history of fandom, highlighting the fan-to-pro transition unique to science fiction. To do this, we display a bunch of fanzines dating from the early years of science fiction flying out of a mimeograph machine. The fanzines are surrounded by an old newsstand setting, where classic pulp mags display enticing rockets and brass-bra heroines. Next, we visually connect the early efforts with the later successes of three notable fans who turned pro: Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Forrest Ackerman.

  Of course, no matter how hard we work at representing every aspect of science fiction, we only have thirteen thousand square feet to work with, and a building with very, very few right angles. Our cases are small, so we have to distill each concept down to its core elements. We've got twenty-five exhibits in four galleries, and everywhere you look, there's something to look at, read, watch, listen to, or dream about.

  * * * *

  SFM FAQ, Part Three:

  Q: I'm appalled that my favorite show/author isn't represented in the museum! Do you plan to add a new exhibit featuring Stargate/Battlestar Galactica/Farscape/Author X?

  A: Alas, no ... well, maybe. The near future holds many exciting possibilities for artifact changes and new themes. Stay tuned.

  * * * *

  Our public programs also focus on both media and books. We've presented dozens of readings, panels, conferences, and films as well as special appearances by celebrities and luminaries of the SF world, many of whom sit on our advisory board. In 2006, we will host a celebration of the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek, a reading series, film festival, and of course the induction of four more creators into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

  Education outreach manager Leslie Howle has the enviable task of bringing in science fiction luminaries to read or speak at the museum. “Science fiction comes to us through literature and film, and I love the way we support creative material that comes from good writing in both areas. We've had some of the best science fiction and fantasy authors working today read and speak at the museum, and our online writer's workshop with James Gunn is helping to encourage new writers.... I find this whole process incredibly exciting and inspiring."

  Leslie is also coordinating the Science Fiction Short Film Festival. “There are some very exciting things to look forward to at SFM in 2006, but our first annual Science Fiction Short Film Festival in partnership with the Seattle International Film Festival may top my list,” she says. We're going to show the best films in February, and the winner gets to pitch an idea to the SCI FI Channel.

  At www.sfhomeworld.org, you can find images and content representing the museum, from biographies of Hall of Fame members to schedules of upcoming events. Brooks Peck is the web editor, and he has big plans for the future. “I would love for us to be able to host an informal, chatty blog about the museum—a place to share the strange and fun behind-the-scenes stories about keeping this place going. The blog could give the inside info on our artifacts, such as: why is the Charlton Heston mannequin so squishy? Why does the Muffit costume smell like a chimpanzee?"

  * * * *

  SFM FAQ, Part Four:

  Q: I don't live in Seattle. Is there any way I can be involved with the museum?

  A: Yes! If you join the museum, you will be supporting our educational mission and promoting science fiction as a popular art form. You will help introduce kids to all the worlds of adventure that science fiction has to offer.

  * * * *

  Leslie Howle calls the museum “the only institution that is dedicated to chronicling and curating the books, films, and artifacts associated with the stories that help give us perspective on ourselves as humans.” She says even out-of-towners can find a reason to support the museum.

  “The Hall of Fame is here to remind us of everything the great creators in the field have given us and their legacy for generations to come. If you care about science fiction, this museum benefits you."

  Like all non-profits, SFM is always working toward self-sufficiency. We have very generous patrons, and that's great, but our fundraising efforts never end. And we have the same sorts of conflicts and confusions in our offices that other workplaces do.

  Since getting this job, I've given a lot of thought to museums and their uses. I wonder sometimes whether putting something in a museum signals its death throes as a cultural force. Once things are behind glass, they lose some of their immediacy as objects and risk becoming relics—old and untouchable. We've tried to avoid this by including newly published books and props from recent movies in exhibits, demonstrating that science fiction is a living genre. Many of the tough themes of science fiction are still being addressed in new amazing stories eighty years after the old Amazing Stories.

  I may be preaching to the choir, but with the twentieth century behind us, it's a great time to examine where science fiction has been and where it's going, and SFM holds some of the trea
sures that allow us to do that.

  Says Jacob McMurray, “Whether it's cool to admit or not, science fiction is one of the major cultural forces that has molded our society and our perception of what could be. I can't think of a better topic for a museum."

  Copyright 2006 Therese Littleton

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  NANO COMES TO CLIFFORD FALLS

  by NANCY KRESS

  Nancy Kress is the author of twenty-three books. Her work has been translated into fourteen languages, including—to the author's bemusement—Klingon. Nancy is currently working on a medical thriller. Her last story for us, “My Mother, Dancing” (June 2004) is a current finalist for the Nebula Award.

  I was weeding the garden when nanotech came to my town. The city got it a month earlier, but I haven't been to the city since last year. Some of my neighbors went—Angie Myers and Emma Karlson and that widow, Mrs. Blanston, from church. They brought back souvenirs, things made in the nanomachine, and the scarf Angie showed me was really cute. But with three little kids, I don't get out much.

  That day was hot, with the July sun hanging overhead like it wasn't ever going to move. Bob McPhee from next door stuck his head over the fence. His Rottweiler snarled through the chain links. I don't like that dog, and Kimee, my middle one, is afraid of it.