Batman mask, Superman cape donated to Smithsonian by Warner Bros

REUTERS - Batman's mask, Superman's cape and Catwoman's suit will be taking up permanent residence at the Smithsonian museum after being donated by Warner Bros. Pictures, the U.S. national museum said on Friday.

The iconic Batman mask and cowl worn by George Clooney in the 1997 "Batman & Robin" film was one of more than 30 movie items presented by Warner Bros. Chairman Barry Meyer to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

The movie items donated were from 13 films by the Hollywood studio between 1942 and 2005.

Late actor Christopher Reeve's Superman suit from 1983's "Superman III," Halle Berry's 2004 "Catwoman" costume and props from 2005's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" were among some of the memorabilia donated to the museum.

"Films are an integral part of this culture and of our daily lives, shaping how we perceive ourselves as Americans," the museum's director, John Gray, said in a statement. "The legacy of Warner Bros. is an important part of American history and these objects help us to tell that story."

The items will be part of the Smithsonian's 2013 Classic Film Festival, a three-day film retrospective starting Friday.

Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc (TWC.N).

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Eric Beech)