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‘Moon Rocks!’ Marks Apollo 11 Anniversary

Photo by Peter Frey/UGA

The nation and world are remembering Apollo 11’s historic milestone.  On July, 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin landed on the moon.

As part of the celebrations surrounding the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library is hosting “Moon Rocks!,” to mark the anniversary of Apollo 11.

The exhibition is curated by Sarah Anderson, a University of Georgia graduate student in history. She previously worked for two years at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

“Space inspires a sense of adventure and excitement. Astronauts were portrayed as All-American, hard-working, accessible heroes—a person that children could aspire to be. Astronauts provided hope of advancement and achievement for average Americans,” Anderson noted. “The exhibit explores this a little more, as well.”

The display, which runs through December, features magazines, political cartoons, satellite models and photos taken from space of the Earth and the lunar landing. The display also includes a piece of the Apollo 9 spacecraft and a medallion that went to the moon and back.

Credit Photo by Peter Frey/UGA
The “Moon Rocks!” exhibition is on display at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries through December.

On July 16, 50 years after the Apollo 11 launch from Cape Canaveral (formerly known as Cape Kennedy), the libraries will host an event with moon rocks on loan from the Georgia Capitol Collection for one day only. The rocks, along with a state of Georgia flag that went to the moon and back, were given to Georgia by former President Richard Nixon, who gave every state moon rocks and small fragments from the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 lunar missions after the landing.

The event will also show archival footage of the July 20, 1969, moon landing and have space-themed snacks, including astronaut ice cream and Tang.