New Exhibition Explores the Life of Alexander Hamilton, Courtesy of Lin-Manuel Miranda
Those who have already seen Lin-Manuel Miranda's Pulitzer Prize-winning Hamilton may have found themselves wondering, much like King George III in the musical, “What comes next?” With the Hamilton movie not due to hit theaters until at least 2020, the final cast bow at the end of the show left many fans wanting more. And more they shall receive.
“Hamilton: The Exhibition”—a “360-degree, immersive exhibit” inspired by the life of Alexander Hamilton, as told through Miranda’s hit play—is opening on Chicago’s Northerly Island on April 27 and will remain there until September 8. From there, it will travel to select U.S. cities.
Miranda’s voice will serve as an audio guide as visitors navigate the exhibit, which will be housed in a freestanding tent about the size of a football field. The goal is to share new details about Hamilton’s life and legacy that didn’t make it into the musical's narrative.
“People want to learn more,” Miranda told the Chicago Tribune last year, when the exhibition was being planned. “It seems that two hours and 45 minutes of a musical were just not enough for them. I know from my Twitter account.”
The story is larger than Hamilton, though. The exhibit also tells the story of America, touching on the Revolution and how the country came to be created, despite the odds stacked against it.
According to the exhibit’s website, it will take about 90 minutes to view all of the material: “Sit at Hamilton’s desk and discover how his work as a trader in St. Croix gave him the skills to create our country’s financial system,” the exhibition description reads. “Gaze upon the streets of New York with detailed replicas of the city in 1776. Step into George Washington’s war tent as you learn how the Revolutionary Army planned their shocking victory in the Battle of Yorktown.”
In other words, there's plenty to leave Hamilton fans feeling "satisfied."
Tickets are now available for purchase on Ticketmaster (they cost $39.50 for adults, $32.50 for seniors/military personnel, and $25 for children aged 4-14).