“You’re gonna need a bigger display…” JAWS: The Exhibition opens at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles
Having recently purchased a membership to the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, my wife and I were able to recently attend a sneak preview yesterday (September 14th) of the museum’s brand new “JAWS: The Exhibition.” The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s cinematic opus which ushered in the era of the summer blockbuster movie 50 years ago.
Having previously attended the Academy Museum in 2023, my wife and I had already seen Greg Nicotero’s magnificent 25”/7.6 meter recreation of “Bruce” the shark; the infamously malfunctioning prop whose lack of reliability later became a gift in disguise, as its rare onscreen appearances (only 4 minutes) came to later define “JAWS” as a masterpiece of Hitchcockian suspense and minimalism (“less is more”). Seeing that cargo van-length shark prop suspended from the ceiling still makes for an impressive escalator ride up to the fourth floor…
The fourth floor is where the JAWS Exhibition is located, and visitors will see a familiar Amity tourism sign with a girl on the water under a beaming sun. After walking through the door, visitors are immediately immersed in darkness between large LED screens looping the opening of the movie. Like the film itself, the exhibition’s spaces are staged in rough sequence to the movie, with a final section focusing on the cultural impact of “JAWS” following its release.
The first section features the actual buoy that Chrissy Watkins (Susan Backlinie) clung to, as she was mauled underwater by the unseen shark. There was also a photo op for fans of the crab-infested sand dune where Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) and islander Tom (Jonathan Filley) discover Chrissy’s remains washed ashore. The photo op includes tiny crabs which can surround a visitor’s hand, or head (Ben Gardner-style). That first section also features production memorabilia, including the entrance to producer Richard Zanuck’s office, and other items behind a section of white picket fence—perfect for young Amity Island martial arts students to use for “karate-ing.”
Moving into the next section, visitors see a reproduction of the unblemished Amity Beaches billboard, along with a collection of actual Panavision cameras, including a water-line camera and one used to film the movie’s famous ‘dolly-zoom’ shot (which was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”) as Brody and his family witness the movie’s second shark attack. Moving on, visitors will see the ‘mutilated’ version of the Amity tourism sign, now with a large shark fin painted on the water, and a “HELP!” caption over the girl’s mouth. Underneath the sign are the original “BEACHES CLOSED” sign (autographed by Steven Spielberg), as well as an actual fin used to represent the shark just below the water’s surface.
This section also features a tribute to Oscar-winning film editor Verna Fields, affectionately known as “Mother Cutter” to the film crew, which includes her old Moviola editing machine (with floor pedals). There is also a tribute to legendary Oscar-winning composer John Williams, including a keyboard that let’s anyone play his iconic shark theme with lighted prompts. Along a wall, visitors will see three screen-used costumes worn by actors Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss (“Hooper”) and Robert Shaw (“Quint”), as well as multiple sets of shark mandibles used to decorate Quint’s shack; whose one-for-one construction at a real dock in Massachusett is chronicled for the exhibit.
Visitors then move into a section devoted to the final act of the movie, which takes place on the open ocean as Quint, Brody and Hooper hunt for the shark that’s been devouring Amity beachgoers. Bathed in aquamarine lighting hues to suggest the Atlantic Ocean, we see an exhibit of the Orca fishing boat (including pieces from the original boat) which is filled with screen-used props from the film, including Quint’s chair, his fishing gear, harpooning guns, the iconic machete, and even an uncrushed can of Narragansett Lager. Hooper’s equipment is also represented with a tracking device he tied to one of Quint’s barrels, as well as an unexploded oxygen tank; the hero prop that ultimately saves the day…
On the back of the Orca display, there is a photo op recreation of the Orca’s galley, where visitors can seat themselves on the boat’s benches and watch the famous galley scene (including Quint’s haunting USS Indianapolis speech) on a facing monitor. Fans can then commemorate this moment in the film for themselves. Naturally, my wife and I had to try it, of course, and thanks to a volunteering patron nearby, we got some nice shots. We returned the favor for them afterward. The JAWS community is a kind lot.
Also in the aquamarine-hued room are three of the surviving yellow barrels used for the movie to kept the shark buoyant, and to represent the shark itself when the mechanical prop failed; which only added to the movie’s suspense. Near the Orca’s display’s stern, we also see Hooper’s banged-up cage used in the film, which is autographed by actor Richard Dreyfuss and stuntman Dick Warlock, who doubled for Hooper in some of the cage sequences as Hooper unsuccessfully attempts to inject a fatal dose of poison into the shark’s tough hide. I saw this very cage on display once in an art museum on Catalina Island seven years ago, and it was exactly as I remembered it.
In addition to the various photos ops, there was another interactive display which allowed visitors to move levers to pneumatically control a considerably scaled-down version of the mechanical shark prop, which was created for the exhibition. My wife tried it, and she felt that she had to be careful on the control with opened and closed the shark’s jaws—fearing that pushing the levers too hard might damage the rubber skin of the prop—a word of caution to future visitors.
In the final spaces of the exhibit, we see promotional artwork for “JAWS” from all over the world, as well as various photos of crowds waiting in long lines to see the movie. We also see the range of the movie’s impact on popular culture, including toys, games, posters, and other merchandise. This section chronicles where the movie graduated from a piece of popular art into a genuine global phenomenon.
As one leaves the exhibit, there is a final series of photos and captions chronicling Bruce the shark’s rescue from a junkyard, and would later be lovingly rebuilt by makeup FX genius and producer Greg Nicotero for display at the Academy Museum for its grand opening, and where it remains the single largest prop from any one movie at the museum.
For fellow “JAWS" fans living anywhere near Los Angeles, or who might be planning a visit to California soon, “JAWS: The Exhibition” is an absolute must-see. It’s a perfect capper to celebrate the movie’s 50th anniversary, which singlehandedly ushered in the era of the modern summer blockbuster.
“JAWS: The Exhibition” is open to the public from the time of this writing until July 26th, 2026. Standard adult admission price is $25, with discounts for students and seniors. Children under 17 are admitted for free. Admission is also free for Academy Museum members (ranging from a $100 annual fee to $1000 for patron-level membership).
Bigger boat not required.
Sebastian S.
Musings of a Middle-Aged Geek
JAWS: The Exhibit, Academy Museum, Los Angeles, Sept. 13th, 2025