As of today, it has been 50 years since we landed on the moon. And by we, I mean Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and the massive team at NASA who made that exciting and trepidacious trip possible.
Here in Seattle, we’re celebrating this momentous event all summer with a special exhibit called “Destination Moon” at the Museum of Flight. Many of the artifacts in the exhibit are part of the Museum of Flight’s collection. It became a real celebration, though, when the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum loaned key items from their collection.
Hubby and I visited the exhibit several weeks ago, but today is the day Neil Armstrong planted his foot on moondust and said those famous words. I couldn’t help but share some of what we saw that day–including some fun astronaut fashion!
That’s one small step for a man.
One giant leap for mankind.
~ Neil Armstrong
The Fashion that Inspired Astro Style!
Check out the items below to see some of the astronaut gear worn back when NASA’s space program sent men to the moon.
The Helmet with Gold Sun Visor and Extravehicular Gloves used by Buzz Aldrin for the first moon landing. 
The suit pictured is the backup spacesuit for Apollo 10 astronaut John Young. 
The “short-fat flight suit” Neil Armstrong wore. When he left NASA he took that with him and used it as coveralls on his farm! 
The “short-fat flight suit” Neil Armstrong wore. When he left NASA he took that with him and used it as coveralls on his farm!
Neil Armstrong’s “short-fat flight suit” reminds me of the coveralls I own. I still feel like a rocketwoman when I wear them.
To Be or Not to Be (an astronaut)
I wasn’t alive when NASA made that epic trip. I had another year-plus to bake in the cosmic oven before I was ready to make my own entrance into Earth’s atmosphere! Ha ha! Even so, by the time I was six or seven, the event had become legendary. It captured my imagination and made me burst with pride from my tiny little heart.
Below is a coin I’ve had since I was that wee little girl living in Arkansas. I told anyone who would listen that I wanted to be an astronaut. Or maybe president. Either seemed possible in my mind.
Standing Next to the Moon
That little girl never grew up to be an astronaut or president but she also never lost her love of the universe of possibilities space exploration inspires. That love was renewed when Hubby and I went to the Destination Moon exhibit.
Below is a slideshow of photos taken at the museum that day.
Can you tell how star-struck we were to be in the presence of this historic space travel? It’s hard to tell but we’re standing in front of a replica of the lunar landing module. 
Hubby peers through the tiny window of a command module door on display at “Destination Moon.” 
Apollo 11’s command module, “Columbia,” is the centerpiece of “Destination Moon.” 
Engine components from Apollo 11 that were dredged from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean after the historic moon walk. 
F-1 rocket engine injector plate which was used on Apollo 11’s Saturn V booster. Note the twisted metal on this plate from all that heat! 
In addition to NASA space program artifacts, the exhibit told the history of the Space Race through visual displays, including the Mercury Capsule which launched the first Americans into space and the Russian Resurs 500 Capsule. 
The Moon Buggy, more professionally known as the Lunar Rover Vehicle. This wasn’t on the first trip to the moon but it part of later trips. We take some local pride in this vehicle as it was tested at the Boeing facility in Kent, Washington. 
A moon rock. How many times can you say you stood next to the moon? Standing next to even a small part of it sparked my joy and imagination.
What do you remember about the moon landing? Were you alive then or were you like me, riding on the tidal wave that came after?
More Info
The Destination Moon exhibit will be on display at the Museum of Flight until September 2nd. For more information and to purchase tickets for the exhibit, visit their website.
Even if you’re not from Seattle or visiting any time soon, you can capture the excitement of that time by watching the “Apollo 11” documentary released this year. It’s available on streaming through Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube.
Affiliate Links:
I didn’t intentionally link this post to any shops with whom I’m affiliated. I’m not being paid by the Museum of Flight or anyone else mentioned here. There are, however, ads and links throughout my blog, that when clicked, take you to shops I’m affiliated with. If that happens and you purchase something from those places, I might see a few pennies from that purchase. Those pennies add up sometimes, enough for me to pay for my domain name, download another pattern, or purchase a top from a thrift shop. Whether I see money from a transaction, or you’re just here to read and visit, I thank you for your support.
I remember everyone in our school being led into the halls to watch on the school TV – it was quite a big deal. Great exhibition – I’m glad you could go! Love the slide show.
What a cool memory, Mel! I can just imagine your tiny little artistic self standing out in the hall with your classmates taking it all in. 💕
I was a baby so I don’t remember a thing.
I really did enjoy our recent trip to Houston and the Space Center though.
Those coveralls are cool.
Do you think you’d still want to be an astronaut now that you know what it entails? Sleeping standing up was my first sense that it wasn’t for me. LOL
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
After watching that documentary I mentioned in my post about the first landing on the moon, after hearing the clickity-clack of the relatively thin metal walls between the astronauts and certain death, I knew I had chosen the better path for myself. Ha ha ha! If, however, we were in the era of mega-space travel where ships are like those you see in Star Trek, maybe then I could sign up to become the resident fashion blogger. Ha ha ha ha! 💕
I’d visit that exhibition in a heartbeat if I had the chance. I’ve always been captivating by the possibilities of space travel, real and imaginary. I was long out of the oven on that day 50 years ago, but too young for it to have had lasting memories. I do remember my Dad staying up overnight to watch the coverage on TV. xxx
The fact that you remember your dad staying up overnight to catch the coverage says so much to me about the power of this event on your own life and imagination!
Should you ever visit Seattle, the Museum of Flight is filled with wonders for those of us who love such events. But the Smithsonian in Washington, DC has the largest permanent collection from the space program. 💕
This was the same year that I graduated from high school. I recall being pretty riveted to the television coverage of everything moon landing.
I also remember there being a lot of discussion around the potential of contamination from the moon rocks. There was scientific reassurance that no bacteria could grow on the moon’s surface. It felt like a blending of science fiction and reality for me.
I love a cargo pant, shirt, short, skirt or jumpsuit. I’ve always liked that adventurer/safari/ rugged/ spaceman look.😁 I remember your army surplus jumpsuit look well!
Hearing your experience of the moon landing makes me smile all the way to my toes. Like the astronauts, you were about to step out into worlds previously unknown to you–those of a young adult! No one’s life is exactly like anyone else’s so this journey through the unknown has been completely your own. How marvelous to kick-start that time of life the same year we landed on the moon!! The possibilities must have seemed tremendous! 💕