Apollo 11 Lunar Capsule at Pittsburgh’s John Heinz History Center

On October 14, 2018, we visited the John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA…main goal? To see The Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit, “Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission”. I instigated this visit for my husband, Keith’s, sake, but thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit and the other parts of the museum we were able to experience.

If you have time to check this traveling exhibit out, I highly recommend it. One of the Heinz Museum curators told me this would be the closest visitors will be able to get to the capsule because upon return to its home installation in DC, it will be placed at the angle of entry and back in a glass enclosure much farther from guests. If my arm were a foot longer and I stood on tiptoe, I could have touched it during this visit. I would not have (probably) but it was so close!

I was surprised to come to tears when I turned the corner and saw the Apollo 11 capsule. I remember seeing the live coverage on television when I was ten-years-old and getting to stay up late on a school night to watch our first steps on another planet. How cool is that?!

 

Apollo 11 Lunar Capsule in the “flesh
Keith checking out the details in front of the Apollo 11 lunar capsule!
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s extravehicular visor and gloves on the Apollo 11 mission
Flag-planted-on-the-moon designer, John Kinzler’s sketch
Lunar Sample Return Container
Apollo 11 hatch
Entrance to Exhibit
Daughter, Kate, and partner, Vincent battle with moon rock collecting equipment!

 

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