Moon Shot - JFK and Space Exploration May 19, 2010

This exhibit is presents in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing and President Kennedy's grand vision that made the achievement possible. In 1961, President Kennedy challenged the nation to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the decade. Appealing to the spirit of adventure, to patriotic pride, and to the cause of freedom, his words ignited one of the greatest technological mobilizations in U.S. history. Eight years later, on July 20, 1969, two American astronauts landed on the Moon's surface. Featuring original documents, photographs, and artifacts, this exhibit illustrates the elements of imagination and engineering that combined to achieve the successful Moon landing.