Museums Victoria celebrates Apollo 11's 50th anniversary

Take a giant leap into a Museum this July.

04 July 2019

Buzz Aldrin standing in the Sea of Tranquility, on the lunar surface. Courtesy of NASA / nasaimages.org

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 touched down on the surface of the Moon: a mission accomplished with less computing power than contained in your smartphone. Fifty years on from this astonishing achievement, Museums Victoria will host a stellar suite of experiences for curious minds of all ages.

Launch yourself into Scienceworks on Saturday 20 July for Footsteps on the Moon: an after-hours celebration of Apollo 11's enduring legacy. Order a cocktail and hear Professor Alan Duffy, The Science Show's Robyn Williams AM, head of the Australian Space Agency Dr Megan Clark AC and former astronaut trainer Dr. Gail Iles in conversation, alongside Planetarium shows, VR experiences, live Moon-gazing and an exclusive exhibition of Apollo mission photography.

At Planetarium Nights - Scienceworks' adults-only Friday night sessions - marvel at Capcom Go: a mesmerising, 360° documentary showcasing the achievements of the nearly 400,000 people involved with NASA's Apollo program. Then, strap in for Dawn of the Space Age, which chronicles the history of space exploration from the first artificial satellite in 1957 to the modern era.

Screening daily is Moonbase ONE, a brand new Planetarium show narrated by former Good Game presenter Stephanie 'Hex' Bendixsen. Featuring stunning visualisations of Apollo-era explorations and the Moon's violent formation, visitors can enjoy this multidimensional delight alongside special, lunar-themed presentations of What's in the Sky Tonight - a presenter-led tour of the night sky at all Planetarium sessions.

And opening 16 July - the same day Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins departed Earth - is a one-off Apollo 11 Photo Exhibition showcasing incredible, large-format Apollo 11 mission photography in specially-designed back-lit frames. Step into the glow and take off.

Space-age aesthetics inside Revolutions: Records and Rebels. — Space-age aesthetics inside *Revolutions: Records and Rebels*.

At Melbourne Museum, make a beeline to Dynamic Earth to see our very own piece of the Moon. Collected by NASA Commander David Scott during the Apollo 15 Lunar Mission in 1971, this 3.3 billion year old specimen lay on the Moon's surface for 80 million years before travelling 350,000 kilometres to take up residence here in Carlton.

Next, dive into the international blockbuster exhibition, Revolutions: Records and Rebels: an unmissable journey through seismic shifts in politics and culture between 1966-70. Inside, see handwritten reflections from Altona Primary School students beside a model Apollo lunar landing module, the Djinn lounge chair made famous by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and an iconic space-age jumpsuit from Australian designer Prue Acton.

Opening July 11, behold Apollo 11: The IMAX Experience: a cinematic event fifty years in the making. Presented on the world's largest cinema screen, this internationally-acclaimed documentary features never-before-seen footage of one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments. It is, as The Guardian described it: "one of the most astounding films about space ever made."

And throughout July, Hello Possums Story Time blasts off with lunar adventures every weekday morning. Grab yourself a coffee as little ones enter zero gravity.

Scienceworks

Open daily, 10am–4.30pm
2 Booker Street, Spotswood, Victoria, 3015

Apollo 11 Photo Exhibition – Opens Tuesday 16 July*
Footsteps on the Moon – Saturday 20 July, 6–9pm. Get tickets
Moonbase ONE – Screens daily. Get tickets
Planetarium Nights – Friday nights, 7.30pm & 9pm. Get tickets