How Kenner and Star Wars Created the Modern Toy

March 19 to June 27, 2027

The Legendary Star Wars galaxy may have sprung from the imagination of George Lucas, but the Star Wars action figure was born in Cincinnati, Ohio! In the late 1970s, a passionate team of designers, sculptors, and dreamers at Kenner Products transformed movie magic into something kids could hold in their hands. Their 3¾-inch figures didn’t just launch a toy line; they created narratives that continued after the film’s credits rolled – inspiring a generation of storytellers, and a collecting legacy that’s still thriving almost 50 years later.

Now, that incredible hometown story is ready to take center stage as the world celebrates 50 years of Kenner’s Star Wars action figures and revolutionary toy lines.

The SAGA Museum of Star Wars Memorabilia and the Cincinnati Museum Center are joining forces with the Steiner Foundation to create a one-of-a-kind featured exhibition at Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. This immersive experience will celebrate the creativity, ingenuity and joyful spirit of play that turned Kenner’s bold licensing gamble into a global, “toyetic” Star Wars phenomenon.

Visitors will journey through the fascinating history of Kenner Products, discovering how they secured the film’s license, invented innovative marketing strategies and developed groundbreaking production techniques that launched the original action figure line.

But we need YOUR help to bring this exhibition to life.

Whether you grew up staging epic battles on your living room floor or are discovering the magic for the first time, this exhibition belongs to you! Your financial support will help create an unforgettable, entirely free experience for fans of all ages. With your support, Kenner’s Star Wars line can continue to inspire generations to come! This was the dream of Cincinnati native Corky Steiner, a Toy Industry Hall of Fame member, and Kenner identity. Corky lived and breathed Kenner and Star Wars – always finishing conversations with the iconic ‘May the Force Be With You’ tag-line. The exhibition is dedicated to his huge heart, loving memory and of course The Force, which was always strong in him.

Join us. Be part of the story. Help us celebrate the Cincinnati roots of a galaxy far, far away.