Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Next Generation Main Bridge

The Enterprise-D's bridge went through several minor updates over the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation's seven years, but the set was given an extensive overhaul courtesy of production designer Herman Zimmerman and illustrator John Eaves for Star Trek Generations. According to Eaves:

Herman wanted to make the bridge more functional. To accomplish that, we raised the captain's chair slightly (symbolically putting his authority higher than those sitting in the two chairs flanking him). For functionality, we also split the ramps on either side of the commander center. We still had a ramp going down, but added two elevated stations, one against either wall, where crew members could work. We also replaced an alcove filled with lockers and storage panels with a new graphics station (courtesy of Mike Okuda). At one point, we had added some new stand-up stations behind the captain's chair, where Worf works. It was a nice design, but it wound up being simply too much of a modification, so we dropped it.

While the modifications the bridge went unmentioned in the film (audiences just had to assume the Enterprise got some upgrades after "All Good Things..."), the reasons for the revamp were practical. Though highly detailed, the Enterprise-D sets were built to look good on TV, not projected on 90-foot theater screens. The wider aspect ratio also inspired Zimmerman to rework the bridge, adding those stations and computer terminals to either side of the bridge allowed the set to better fill the widescreen format.

Ultimately, the redesigned and upgraded bridge didn't last long, receiving heavy damage in the battle with the Duras Sisters and subsequent crash sequence before being unceremoniously torn down after production on Generations wrapped.

Some elements of the bridge were saved, including Worf's "horseshoe" tactical console and the command chairs, which were sent to be displayed at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum until it closed in 2007. The remaining elements of the Enterprise-D bridge now reside back at home in Paramount Studios' archive.