Tom Hanks might have gotten the best actor nomination for his role in the 1988 hit "Big," but you could argue the 16 foot long, 3 octave piano he discovered in FAO Schwartz stole the show.
When Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia tickled the enormous ivories in the film, playing "Heart and Soul" and "Chopsticks," every kid in America went crazy, dreaming of a chance to play it themselves.
Well, 20 years after the movie's release, kids visiting Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum can indeed give it a whirl.
The keys aren't quite as sensitive as they once were, and it is a tad out of tune, but at least it's open to the public. A collector in the Philly burbs bought the piano right after the movie was released. But in what can only be described as a sort of rich-person housecleaning, the collector decided to donate it to the museum.
The Please Touch Museum is all about the kiddies, and the kiddies will indeed enjoy a romp on the keys, but the piano is already proving to be a bigger hit with the moms and dads, some of them just barely old enough to remember the 20 year-old film themselves.
The museum is formally opening the new exhibit Saturday, January 31st, and they plan to include a large photo from the famous scene, and they will roll video clips on monitors near the museum's entrance.
The only thing missing is Tom Hanks, but the museum promises-- they're working on it.
