Banbury museum opens Star Wars memorabilia exhibition

The film made $775m (£651m) in 1977 but merchandising has gone on to earn even more than the film itself

An exhibition of Star Wars toys and cinema posters described as one of the finest collections in the UK has gone on display at a museum.

Banbury Museum's "May The Toys Be With You" display of Star Wars memorabilia opens on Saturday.

The museum said the exhibition was a celebration of the highly-collectable vintage toys and of the iconic art and design work.

Star Wars broke box office records when it was released in 1977.

It made $775m (£651m) but merchandising has gone on to earn even more than the film itself.

The museum said that from 1977 to 1985 an estimated 300m action figures have been sold, which "became the must-have playthings for an entire generation."

"From X-Wing Fighters to lightsabers, these fantastical designs have fired our imaginations and stamped their place on our cultural landscape," the museum said.

It said the exhibition promises to be an "unmissable opportunity" to view many rarely seen items.

The exhibition begins on Saturday 19 November and runs until March 2023.

Original cinema posters along with vintage toys will be on display at Banbury Museum until next March

Children will get the chance to dress up and use lightsabers during the exhibition

The museum said the collection of vintage toys is the finest in the UK

The exhibition is said to have broken attendance records around the country