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Buzz Aldrin’s Moon Spacesuit Gloves and Helmet at the Museum of Flight

TUKWILA, Wash., – The upcoming Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission exhibition took a giant leap closer to its April 13 opening with the installation of Buzz Aldrin’s spacesuit gloves and helmet. The delicate work was accomplished by staff from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and The Museum of Flight.

Working under subdued lighting to protect the priceless artifacts, the items worn by Aldrin on the surface of the Moon were removed from their shipping crates, inspected and carefully positioned before finally being covered by a plexiglass case. Special attention was given to positioning a magnifying glass near the cuff of one glove that has a checklist for the astronaut to remind him of his duties while on the lunar surface. The lens helps visitors see one especially important chore: to photograph a bootprint.

Photos and b-roll video of the installation are available to the media; please contact the Museum for copies.

Press Preview of the exhibition will be April 11 at 10 a.m.

Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission is made possible by the support of Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, Joe Clark, Bruce R. McCaw Family Foundation, the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, John and Susann Norton, and Gregory D. and Jennifer Walston Johnson. Transportation services for Destination Moon are provided by FedEx.

For Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org

Shelley Sterns-Blackburn, ELY, Inc, and Lisa Young, Conservator at National Air and Space Museum make some final adjustments to spacesuit gloves worn by Buzz Aldrin while on the surface of the Moon. Aldrin’s helmet and visor are in place on the left. Photo Ted Huetter/The Museum of Flight.