To celebrate fifty years of the greatest aquatic horror film ever made, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is bringing Steven Spielberg’s Jaws to life like you’ve never seen before. The museum just announced more details on Jaws: The Exhibition, curated by Senior Exhibitions Curator Jenny He and Assistant Curator Emily Rauber Rodriguez, with Curatorial Assistant Alexandra James Salichs, which will feature over two hundred objects from the production of the 1975 film, including some from Spielberg’s personal collection.
“The Academy Museum celebrates film history and with this exhibition we can bring never-before-seen movie experiences to a public audience,” said Academy Museum Director and President Amy Homma. “This exhibition will create a space where the worldwide community of Jaws fans can gather and relive the movie while giving new audiences the joy of discovery.”
The exhibition, which opens in September, will be split into seven sections, tracking both the plot of the film and its development behind the scenes. The first, “The Unseen Danger,” launches museum visitors into the opening scene of the film and how Spielberg got the project off the ground, featuring production objects, photography, and a recreation of the sand dune where Chrissie Watkins is discovered.
Next comes “Amity Island Welcomes You,” which introduces the creative team behind the film, including Richard Zanuck, production designer Joe Alves, and Peter Benchley, who wrote the original 1974 novel, and teaches audiences about location scouting. “Sunday at the Beach” focuses on the film’s cinematography, helmed by Oscar nominee Bill Butler, and features an interactive area where museumgoers can experience the film’s famous dolly zoom effect.
After that comes “The Shark’s Rampage,” which features original set decorations and props, and dives into the bloodiest scenes of the film, teaching audiences about composer John Williams and film editor Verna Fields, which “Adventure Ahead” focuses on the third act hunt for the shark, including various props from Quint’s shack.
“Into the Deep” takes audiences out into the open ocean, where mechanical schematics, construction photography, and other ephemera from the creation of “Bruce” will be on display, as well as an interactive model that allows audiences to operate the shark for themselves. Fans will also, of course, be able to see the only surviving full-scale model of Bruce, where he hangs outside the museum’s fourth floor exhibit space.
The final section, “The Enduring Impact of Jaws,” speaks for itself: it allows audiences to understand the film’s monumental impact on the film industry, popular culture, and society at large. Theatrical posters, prints, and merchandise explore just how Jaws took a bite out of standard industry distribution models at the time, revolutionizing the way films were marketed forever.
“After 50 years, many of the accounts about the production of Jaws are as well-known as the film itself. This exhibition uncovers the film’s multilayered mythologies and lore for both new and seasoned fans,” said He. “It’s fascinating to think that Jaws was Steven Spielberg’s second theatrical feature film—the movie is a testament to the storied filmmaker’s early success as a tenacious visionary pushing creative boundaries.”
The opening of the exhibition will also feature a special release of exclusive merchandise by the Academy Museum, including a new vinyl pressing of Williams’ iconic score for the film, as well as a collection of apparel, accessories, posters, and more. Film screenings and public events coordinated with the exhibit will also be announced at a later date.
Jaws: The Exhibition opens at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles on September 14, and runs through July 26, 2026. For more information and to purchase tickets, fans can check out the museum’s website.
