Live long and prosper, Skirball Center. First time visiting the Skirball Cultural Center for the Star Trek exhibit and I absolutely loved it. (I have to admit I didn't have time to visit the other exhibits, so this review is somewhat limited in scope.) Thank you, Skirball, for providing me with free admission due to being a essential worker as determined by the State of California during the pandemic. Check out their website for a list of visitors that they allow to enter for free: skirball.org .
COVID protocol: You must be fully vaccinated or have proof of a recent negative COVID test to enter the museum. Masks are required. Thank goodness; I felt very safe and certainly Mr. Spock would approve of these logical adaptations to the pandemic (probably Dr. McCoy would approve as well.)
Parking: Absolutely 100% free and conveniently located right next to the museum.
Admission: Timed tickets are currently required and can be reserved online.
Exhibit: The Star Trek exhibit was out of this world. To see the actual bridge where the original Star Trek was filmed, costumes from the different versions of Star Trek (the original is the only one for me) and interactive displays reflecting the impact of Star Trek on our society was fabulous. I especially enjoyed the thought-provoking activities (creating your own episode of Star Trek, thinking about the implications of the Prime Directive, and discussing whether robots have rights.)
Star Trek has been one of my favorite shows for over 50 years. Why? It created a world of diversity, where everyone was equal, and science was taken seriously. Plus, it's also kind of a travel show if you think about it. A different planet every week? Hell, ya. The Skirball Cultural Center has done a magnificent job in showcasing this fantastic show. FIVE STARS.