Current/Upcoming Exhibitions

Current Exhibitions

Da Vinci Experience

Replicas and models of the mechanical devices designed and described by Leonardo da Vinci, along with reproductions of 11 of his most famous paintings, will be featured in a new exhibition at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

Sought after and appreciated as an artist at court, da Vinci was also concerned with scientific subjects, applying his knowledge of mechanics to military and civil engineering works and dedicating himself to the study of anatomy, biology, mathematics and physics. A group of Florentine artisans have spent the last half century studying the original notes and drawings of da Vinci’s various projects, and have created this international exhibition of fully-functional and interactive models of da Vinci’s creations.

Godfrey Harris, Exhibition Curator, noted, “For all of Leonardo da Vinci’s great achievements, he had his share of mistakes, failures, and disappointments. In driving himself to overcome a disadvantageous background, he successfully addressed a number of issues that he hoped would bring him recognition, status and wealth. I think we are fascinated by Leonardo because he seems to have been an ordinary man who was able to accomplish so many extraordinary things.”

The machines in the exhibit are organized around three themes: transportation, military and mechanical. There is a large, interactive Educational area where everyone can test some of Leonardo’s ideas. Each of the models in the exhibition has been built according to da Vinci’s notes and with the materials available in 15th century Italy. Eleven machines are full-sized and 25 are interactive. People of all ages will be delighted by the chance to manipulate these machines to see how they were intended to function. Each replica is displayed with a facsimile of the relevant da Vinci drawing.

For more information about the exhibit, see www.davinciexperience.info

To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA

Just before the first humans landed on the moon, Charlie Brown and Snoopy soared through space with NASA’s Apollo 10 mission in May 1969. SDASM’s new exhibition To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA examines the history of Apollo 10 and the Peanuts characters’ role in that flight and in the NASA Manned Flight Awareness safety program.

It is difficult to imagine-although some remember it well-the excitement that the race for the moon invoked forty years ago. As the decade of the 1960s was coming to a close, America and the rest of the world waited with great anticipation to see if NASA could achieve President John F. Kennedy’s challenge, put forth in May 1961, of putting a human on the moon by the end of the decade. Consequently, it was a very great honor for Peanuts when the crew of Apollo 10 chose to nickname their command and lunar modules Charlie Brown and Snoopy, respectively. The flight of Apollo 10 in May 1969 was the “dress rehearsal” for the lunar landing that was scheduled for July 1969. Astronauts Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan piloted “Snoopy” within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface as they scouted the landing area for Apollo 11 while John Young orbited the moon in the command module “Charlie Brown.”

Peanuts creator Charles Schulz’s involvement with NASA actually started a year before the 1969 flight of Apollo 10 when he was approached by NASA with a request to use Snoopy as their safety mascot. The Silver Snoopy Award program was instituted to improve the safety record of NASA employees and contractors. It proved to be a huge success with the astronauts and the employees. The Silver Snoopy pin is still a much-coveted award. Snoopy has been on the job for 40 plus years and continues to this day in his role as NASA’s safety mascot.

In To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA, visitors will see Snoopy’s trip to the moon in the March 1969 Peanuts strip series (beating NASA’s record by a few months!), learn about the NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award program, and view a Silver Snoopy pin that was flown to the moon. The exhibit also contains a children’s creative play space where children can dress up like an astronaut and have their photograph taken with a life-size Apollo 10 astronaut.

(To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA is included with regular admission to the Museum).

Gangsters, Glamour, and Glory

Gangsters, Glamour, and Glory is a period exhibit featuring historical items from all over the United States, highlighting the exciting 1930s. The exhibit showcases a unique period in our country’s history; gangsters on and off the silver screen, the glamour of design, fashion, Hollywood and talking pictures, the glory of the record setters and Americas’ strength in the mist of the Great Depression.

Another featured item in the exhibit is the newly constructed airplane, the Gee Bee R-1 Super Sportster. One of only two on display worldwide, the airplane highlights the daring and glory of our speed racing record setters. In 1932, Cleveland was the center of air racing in the U.S. and the National Air Races were equivalent in popularity to today’s NASCAR event at Daytona. On September 25, 1932, 60,000 fans witnessed the most thrilling Thompson Trophy Race of all time. With Jimmy Doolittle piloting his big red and white Gee Bee R-1 over the wide flat course, there was never any doubt he would win the ten lap, 100 mile event. He finished first to claim the $4500 prize and his 296 mph winning speed was not bettered until 1936. The Museum’s Gee Bee has been painstakingly recreated from authentic plans by our Restoration team members. The quality of the workmanship is a true testament to the skill and dedication of the Museum’s Volunteer Corps

The exhibit includes additional sports memorabilia, radio broadcasts, and clips from famous 1930s Hollywood films. Also displayed are personal belongings from Will Rogers, a well known trick roper, newspaper columnist, and star of the silver screen and radio, and Amelia Earhart, who was lost at sea on her flight around the world in 1937.

Upcoming Exhibitions

None at this time. Check back soon.