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Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit makes giant leap from Cincinnati Museum Center to CVG

Replica of Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit now on display as part of Curate My Community

CINCINNATI – One of Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC)’s most popular objects is taking a small step out of Union Terminal and a giant leap into the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). On the 47th anniversary of the moon landing, CMC will unveil a replica of Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit at CVG as part of Curate My Community July 20.

Neil Armstrong spacesuitWith the restoration of Union Terminal necessitating the temporary closure of the Museum of Natural History & Science, along with the Cincinnati History Museum and OMNIMAX® Theater, CMC is displaying many of its objects at locations throughout the Greater Cincinnati region as part of Curate My Community . Armstrong’s spacesuit will welcome travelers from all over the world as they arrive at CVG and come face-to-reflective space helmet with one of the nation’s original space pioneers.

“Today is a special day for the aviation industry,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer at CVG. “Neil Armstrong, like many of us, was fascinated with flight. We’re honored to partner with the Museum Center to display Neil’s spacesuit exhibit for CVG travelers and the community to continue to enjoy.”

On the evening of July 20, 1969, people gathered around their televisions to watch the grainy, black-and-white footage of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon in his puffy white spacesuit. The scene has been replayed thousands of times. The iconic image of Armstrong in his spacesuit transcends generations and still inspires people today.

“Neil Armstrong is the hero for any person who looks to the sky and dreams of exploring what lies beyond our planet,” says Dave Duszynski, vice president of featured experiences at Cincinnati Museum Center. “Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit is definitely one of those objects that kids and adults alike stop and marvel at when they visit Cincinnati Museum Center and we’re excited to see that it will have that same effect on new audiences at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.”

The spacesuit is a replica of the one Neil Armstrong wore on the historic mission of Apollo 11, built to NASA specifications and has been a mainstay of CMC’s Museum of Natural History & Science and a top photo opportunity for visitors. It serves as a tangible reminder that through science and ambition even the sky is no longer the limit.

CVG is a fitting location for Armstrong’s spacesuit. Armstrong formerly served as the chairman of the Museum of Natural History and as an emeritus trustee of CMC. He was also an advisory board member of the Kenton County Airport Board, 1975-1979, after which he was appointed an honorary member for life.

Curate My Community is a communitywide initiative that allows people to continue to learn from and be inspired by their favorite CMC artifacts and objects even as they’re outside of Union Terminal. It also introduces the manmade and natural history of the Greater Cincinnati region to new audiences by displaying CMC’s extensive collections in new locations.

Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit will join over 90 other CMC objects on display at CVG in the coming months. Amongst those already on display are a World War II-era Aeronca Defender airplane, 1925 Ford Model T Depot Hack and 1951 Crosley Convertible. A collection of Ice Age animal skeletons will go on display in late fall, including the iconic mastodon skeleton that most recently greeted visitors at the entrance to the Museum of Natural History & Science.

For a complete list of objects at CVG and for a list of other Curate My Community locations visit www.cincymuseum.org/exhibits/curate-my-community