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Smithsonian's Eyewitness to Space collection offers unique look at the early space program

Smithsonian's Eyewitness to Space collection offers unique look at the early space program

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The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Eyewitness to Space collection is an extensive collection of artwork depicting the early days of the US space program.

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Space screenshot
Space screenshot

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Eyewitness to Space collection is an extensive collection of artwork depicting the early days of the US space program. As the Smithsonian describes, NASA's administrator wanted "to document the historic effort to send the first human beings to the moon," and in 1962 he initiated a program that sent artists to NASA facilities "to paint whatever interested them." The artwork is a mix of plain line drawings, prints, and paintings of satellite dishes, space technology, and the people involved in the space program — a fresh perspective for those who mostly understand the early space program through photographs of serious men in silver suits. Be sure to catch the full collection on the Smithsonian's website.