Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Belt used by Bill Nye in Bill Nye the Science Guy

Catalog Data

Maker:
Johnston & Murphy  Search this
Physical Description:
leather (belt material)
leather (buckle material)
Measurements:
overall: 1/4 in x 42 1/2 in x 3 in; .635 cm x 107.95 cm x 7.62 cm
Object Name:
Costume
Belt
Place made:
China
Description:
Leather belt worn by Bill Nye on the television show <i>Bill Nye the Science Guy</i>.
<i>Bill Nye the Science Guy</i> was a half-hour series produced by KCTS Seattle and syndicated by Buena Vista Television from 1993-1998. In the series, Bill Nye, an engineer and entertainer, taught scientific concepts in a fast-paced style, peppered with humor and musical interludes. Nye first developed the persona and concept for the show while moonlighting as a sketch comedian in Seattle, then received funding from the National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy to develop the program as a television series. Nye described the show as a combination of <i>Pee-wee's Playhouse</i> and Mr. Wizard, and its playful, accessible style made it a success with audiences and critics. After the Children's Television Act was enacted into law in 1990, television stations actively sought educational programming to meet the new federal requirements for license renewal, and Bill Nye the Science Guy became a popular choice in syndication. It was the first television program to run concurrently on both public and commercial broadcast stations, and the series won 19 Emmy Awards over the course of its run. Studies have shown that viewers of the show demonstrate increased comprehension and application of scientific facts and concepts and interest in science compared to non-viewers.
Location:
Currently not on view
Subject:
Entertainment  Search this
Television  Search this
ID Number:
2017.0310.02
Accession number:
2017.0310
Catalog number:
2017.0310.02
See more items in:
Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
Popular Entertainment
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b3-c1c3-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1871791