In February, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be displaying fifty new Oscars, four statuettes that belonged to record-breaker Katharine Hepburn, two Testimonial Awards, and one statuette for visitors to hold while being photographed for posterity. The exhibition, named "Meet the Oscars, Los Angeles," will take place between Feb. 9-24 on the third level of the Hollywood & Highland Center.
As per the Academy's press release, the exhibition will also include interactive "Oscar trivia" kiosks, "where visitors can test their knowledge of Oscar winners, movie quotes and Academy Awards factoids." (Test your Oscar knowledge — or lack thereof — here.)
By the way, Katharine Hepburn's Oscars were for her performances in Morning Glory (1932-33), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968, above, with Peter O'Toole), and On Golden Pond (1981).
The two "Testimonial Awards" are the Honorary Academy Award to be presented to composer-conductor Ennio Morricone and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to be presented to former Paramount Pictures chairman Sherry Lansing.
The other fifty Oscar statuettes featured in the exhibition will be presented to winners at the 2007 Academy Awards ceremony on February 25.
Each Oscar statuette weighs 8½ pounds and stands 13½ inches tall. Handmade annually by R.S. Owens & Company in Chicago, they are made of the metal alloy britannia, and are plated in copper, nickel, silver, and 24-karat gold.
"Meet the Oscars, Los Angeles" will be open Sunday to Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Saturday, February 24, the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.