This exhibition focuses on how pop culture, with an emphasis on science fiction, has reflected the country’s changing values and cultural tensions over the past 80 years.

America’s Monsters, Superheroes, and Villains features hundreds of toys, comic books, games, posters, and media. These vintage items are accompanied by interpretative signage that describes their cultural significance.

The exhibition is comprised of five sections, focused on the following themes:

• Unintended Consequences: The Atomic Age and America’s Search for Identity
• Truth, Justice, and The American Way: Unifying a Country’s Identity
• Innocent Monsters: Our Empathy for Outsiders
• With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: The Hero as Martyr
• Myths and Legends: How Star Wars Saved America

America’s Monsters, Superheroes, and Villains was created by SuperMonsterCity. The exhibition’s items were provided by collector David Barnhill, with curator Stephen Rueff providing interpretation.