A new exhibit has brought international attention to the Stratford Perth Museum – and it hasn’t even opened yet.

But that may not be a surprise, given the exhibit’s subject matter.

The museum has taken a break from its usual exhibits about local life, art and culture to tell the story of the city’s most globally famous son.

“Steps to Stardom” opens Sunday and runs for the rest of the year. It tells the story of Justin Bieber, who started his musical career by busking on the steps of the Avon Theatre and rose to become one of the world’s biggest pop stars.

“It took a while to become an overnight sensation – but when he did become a star, it happened unbelievably quick,” says John Kastner, the museum’s general manager.

Something similar happened to the museum after it decided to run an exhibit focused on Bieber.

Not long after the exhibit was announced, the museum started hearing from people in places such as Spain, Italy and Mexico who were interested in reserving tickets. American bus tour operators have also expressed interest in including the museum in their itineraries.

“A couple hours in, we knew this was going to be something different,” Kastner says.

“We’ve really had an international response.”

The exhibit is full of memorabilia from Bieber’s childhood and career.

Highlights include some of his awards – including a Juno, a MuchMusic Video Award, and two surfboards he was given for winning Teen Choice Awards – as well as

There’s a replica of the Avon Theatre steps with a full-sized cut-out photo of Justin Bieber strumming his guitar. Museum curators even located Bieber’s childhood drumset, convinced its new owner to loan it to them, and set it up next to a video of a young Bieber playing the same drums.

More valuable artifacts are displayed behind glass, like the laptop Bieber used to upload some of his first videos to Youtube.

“If you’re going to tell the Justin Bieber story, that laptop’s a key to that story,” Kastner says.

Other items featured in the exhibit include a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey the team signed for Bieber’s 18th birthday, the jacket he wore on NBC’s “Today” show in 2011, a framed letter from Michelle Obama thanking him for visiting the White House, and his childhood library card.

Click here to see more photos from inside the exhibit.

With reporting by Marc Venema