Forty years ago, (May 25, 1977, to be exact), the first Star Wars movie was released.
There have been so many followups released since this classic, but this one is the one that started it all as we met R2-D2, C-3PO, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and, of course, Darth Vader, for the very first time.
Hard to believe it's been 40 years, but if you just can't get enough of the franchise, here are some things you can see and do to celebrate:
Rancho Obi-Wan
You may not be as big a Star Wars fan as Steve Sansweet is, but you can visit his collection and compare.
Rancho Obi-Wan has a mystique about it, as it's in Sonoma County. There's a website for Rancho Obi-Wan, but you'll find exactly where it's located when you book a tour. When you get there, you'll see one of the largest Star Wars collections, which includes action figures as well as props that were actually used in the movie.
Get a tour with Steve or one of his Rancho guides, and definitely book it 6 to 8 weeks in advance.
Star Wars Celebrations
Want to celebrate with other fans? You just missed the last Star Wars Celebration, but there will be another in 2019, so plan your travels now. You can buy memorabilia, meet cast members, meet other super fans and get autographs from those associated with the movies.
Celebration is the official, definitive Star Wars event, with entertainment, interactive experiences and exclusives that can only be found at this Lucasfilm production.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Star Wars Celebration Promises to be Epic[/READMORE]
Take a Yoda Selfie!
There's a statue of Yoda at Imagination Park in San Anselmo, California, so head on over and get your photo op with the wise one.
Star Wars Identities
Have you ever wanted your very own Star Wars identity? You can if you're in the London, England area.
Head on over to The O2 for the Star Wars Identities exhibit, which runs through September 3, 2017. It features 200 original props from the Lucas Films archives, including models, costumes and artwork from the original Star Wars films, an interactive identity quest and insightful scientific content.
The Smithsonian Star Wars Exhibit
This traveling exhibit will be at the Cincinnati Museum Center in Ohio, starting May 25through October 1,and will then appear at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida beginning November 11.
It includes costumes, props and much more.
Visit Film Locations
You can see exactly where various Star Wars scenes were filmed as you travel the world. Scenes from the movie have been shot everywhere from Guatemala to Tatooine in Tunisia and Death Valley in California. Some of Rogue One was filmed at the Eyjafjallajökull glacier and the Mýrdalssandur beach in Iceland as well as at London's Canary Wharf Tube and the Isle of Dogs.
You can look up each of the episode's filming locations on IMDB, such as this one, and then plan a Star Wars fan trip that is out of this world.
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