CHICAGO - No need to travel to a galaxy far, far away to meet Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader.

You only have to go as far as Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry where "Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination," is open through Jan. 6.

The 10,000-square-foot exhibit explores the technologies that made the "Star Wars" films come alive. The space (excuse the pun, please) is divided into two main theme areas.

One area called "Getting Around," focuses on transportation people may use in the future. Featured are Luke's floating landspeeder from "Episode IV: A New Hope" and magnetic levitation technologies in use around the world today.

Visitors can step into a hovercraft to feel what it's like to levitate before designing their own vehicles using Lego building blocks and magnets.

A full-size replica of the Millennium Falcon offers the sensation of what it's like to jump to light speed. At the same time, a 4½-minute presentation delves into what we know about traveling at the speed of light and beyond.

C-3PO and R2-D2 star in the area called "Robots and People." Visitors can make a robot walk, test a robot that balances on two wheels and put a face - facial expressions, that is- on a robot.

The exhibit concentrates on the way robotics are already used in medicine, including development of prosthetics.

Inside the darkened interior of a mockup of a Jawa sandcrawler, C-3PO has a discussion on what makes a good robot with a projected image of Cynthia Breazeal, director of the robotic life group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Visitors can:

• View more than 80 props, models and costumes from all six movies, including the Wookies, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Jawas.

• Build your own droid.

• Listen to and watch interviews with the men and woman who made the "Star Wars" movie possible, from filmmakers to engineers and scientists.

The exhibit was created by the Museum of Science in Boston with help from Lucasfilm Ltd.

Adult tickets to "Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination," are $21, which includes the general admission to the Museum of Science and Industry. Cost for seniors is $19.50 and $16 for children ages 3 to 11.

Tickets to the "Star Wars" exhibits are for specified times. Buy tickets online at www.msichicago.org or phone (773) 684-1414.

The museum offers free general admission on Mondays and Tuesdays now through Nov. 20 and Nov. 22-Dec. 24.

The museum is open every day but Christmas. Regular hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The museum at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive is accessible by the CTA and Metra.