Raphael costume

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were first introduced in comic books in 1984 and then grew in popularity around the world. All of the turtles were named after famous artists: Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo. Raphael was considered the “beloved prankster” of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This Raphael costume was likely used in the third movie called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III produced by New Line Cinema in 1993.

 

One of the preservation challenges that museums face with modern objects is the instability and rapid deterioration of the many synthetics and plastics from which they’re made.

 

Tom Spina, a conservator who worked on this costume, says, “Many of the common materials used in Hollywood to create props and ‘creature’ costumes look fantastic on film but are not designed to last.”

 

This costume was only needed for a couple of months during filming, but in the museum’s collection, the foam began to shrink, crack, and lose its elasticity. Fortunately for Turtles fans, it was stabilized and partially restored by Spina in 2014.