Calm before the storm

When the Indiana Jones franchise debuted with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981, the resulting iconic movie series starring a charming Harrison Ford sparked wide public interest in archaeology and exploration.

More than 30 years later, National Geographic and Lucasfilm have teamed with X3 Productions on the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibition, which opens in the U.S. on October 12 (and runs through April 21, 2013) at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, Calif. The touring exhibit previously stopped in Montreal and Valencia, Spain.

Throughout the tour, visitors can bask in the glow of an extensive collection of authentic "Indiana Jones" film props, set designs, and concept art. Additionally, the experience shows off a wealth of content related to locations in the movies and explores the myths surrounding the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. A full assortment of real historical artifacts on loan from the Penn Museum and the National Geographic Society archives -- many of which date back thousands of years -- also await onlookers.

The tour features several large murals from memorable moments in the movies, such as this sunset scene with silhouettes of Harrison Ford and others toiling tirelessly in a desert scene from "Raiders of the Lost Ark."