In partnership with NASA, the One Small Step exhibition at MOSI has joined the museum’s collection of innovative and educational exhibits in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 16, 1969.
One Small Step is as a science and history exhibit that includes recounting stories; artifacts like a space pen used to save the Apollo 11 mission from disaster; hands-on space engineering activities, such as a makerspace where guests can build rockets and test magnetic hovercrafts; and more.
It also has a full-scale wall featuring Buzz Aldrin saluting the U.S. flag planted on the Moon, which guests can pose with and take pictures of, and a multiplayer game where people work together to land the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle on the Moon.
On Tuesday, July 16, One Small Step visitors can join a global rocket launch, which is expected to be a world record with Guinness World Records officials participating.
For what the exhibit aims to teach guests, Anthony Pelaez, the Senior Director of Exhibits and Innovation at MOSI, said, “We had a shared dream, and with that shared dream and a very short amount of time, we came together as a country and we were able to demonstrate to the world that we were able to accomplish something monumental that’s inspirational, that has essentially set the bar and the standard for all human space exploration.”
As One Small Step shows, Neil Armstrong’s famous words, “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” hold true, as the Moon landing was a stepping stone for future space exploration efforts.
“NASA’s current mission is to go back and establish a permanent lunar base on the Moon in preparation for sending humans to Mars,” said Pelaez.
This is a great opportunity for families to come together and talk about what the Apollo 11 Moon landing meant to them, experience it through the exhibit and learn more about it. One Small Step lasts throughout the summer until early September, so be sure to visit for a fun, educational and fascinating adventure centered around this momentous event.
The One Small Step exhibit is included in MOSI’s general admission.
For more information, visit https://www.mosi.org/explore-mosi/. MOSI is located at 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
