Right now, in a galaxy located right off the Science Park Green Line T stop, “Star Wars” fans can visit Boston’s Museum of Science and get a first-hand look at the brand-new exhibition, “Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination.”

Regardless of whether you are a huge “Star Wars” fan or don’t know the difference between the trilogies and “Star Trek,” it is still a thrill to see Chewbacca’s costume or the Millennium Falcon up close and in person, instead of as the little “Star Wars” toys you may have played with as a child.

Forget the fact you haven’t been to the Museum of Science since the field trip you took during elementary school. The museum’s unique exhibits and attractions have continued to boggle the mind, regardless of age, and although times have changed since the pre-cell phone age, the museum continues to amaze as it combines old favorites with new scientific technology that is always changing and evolving.

Continuing through April 2006, the traveling “Star Wars” exhibition, in collaboration with “Star Wars” mastermind George Lucas’ film company, Lucasfilm Ltd., combines memorabilia from the six “Star Wars” films as a backdrop to feature elements that make up today’s technology. The exhibit even devotes special attention to potential technology of the future.

To examine how such technology could be a realistic part of our future, the exhibition features video interviews with engineers, scientists and filmmakers along with two large engineering design labs, which allow visitors to build and test speeders and robots. The first lab, the Maglev Engineering Design Lab, allows visitors the chance to experiment with magnetic levitation, imaging and creating and testing their own floating Maglev cars. The second lab, the Robot Engineering Design Lab, gives visitors the chance to pick wheels, sensors and treads to design their own robot. Do not be mistaken – this combination of Star Wars and technology exhibit is definitely not just for the casual museum goer.

Who could forget everyone’s favorite robots R2D2 and C-3PO? While they were way ahead of their time, the exhibit features their own ‘bots with a little less personality, including task-oriented and humanoid robots that challenge the idea of what role robots will eventually assume in daily human tasks. Will they do our everyday chores such as cleaning or cooking, or even the laundry? Or will they continue to be a mysterious thing that will always remain in the future? The exhibit examines the unlimited possibilities.

For those interested in “Star Wars” the movie rather than the science or technology aspect of it, the 10,000 square foot exhibit features costumes and props from each of the six movies from Anakin to Vader.

Some of the “Star Wars” artifacts to check out include Luke Skywalker’s own original Landspeeder from “Episode IV” – never before on display to the public. For those who are fans of Yoda (and really, who isn’t?), there is an original puppet from the first trilogy and Darth Vader’s helmet and costume from “Episode III.” Don’t worry, though – all these costumes are free of any sounds, which is a blessing when you see the size and realistic scariness of the entire Vader ensemble.

While most of the props, memorabilia and costumes are in glass cases and not to be touched, visitors are still able to enjoy a hands-on “Star Wars” experience. Real world starships are on display so you can actually see how engineers and researchers have developed them, not just for the movies but for real life, along with a personal hovercraft which allows you as a visitor to sit and experience what it might be like to travel in space and how a floating vehicle compares to driving a normal car.

Ever traveled to the edge of the universe? Yeah, neither had I, but for a completely unique 3-D experience you can pay an extra $5 to take a ride in the full-sized Millennium Falcon featured in “Episode IV” and see for yourself what something really feels like when it is “out of this world.”

The Museum of Science’s regular exhibit hall is open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., except on Friday, when it stays open until 9 p.m. With no special student discounts, the price for regular adult admission is $15; $20 including the “Star Wars” exhibits.

Other attractions available at the museum include the 3-D theatre, the Butterfly Garden, the laser and Mugar Omni Theater shows and the Planetarium.

– Emily Unsworth can be reached at [email protected].