Record crowds for Queensland Museum’s NASA – A Human Adventure 

NASA - International Space Station Space WalkQueensland Museum has signed off on its most successful mission yet, with NASA – A Human Adventure entering the record books as the museum’s most visited exhibition ever with more than 240,000 visitors.

Minister for Science and the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the exhibition’s attendance figures were destined to hit the stratosphere. “From its first day of lift off at Queensland Museum in March, NASA – A Human Adventure was on a clear trajectory to become one of the most successful exhibitions ever hosted at the museum,” said Minister Enoch.

“The exhibition was the very first to be presented in the museum’s new international touring gallery, funded with a $3.25 million investment from the Queensland Government. NASA – A Human Adventure has helped showcase the enormous impact of science and technology in our society.”

NASA – A Human Adventure told the story of space travel from the artists and writers who dared to dream of what the future could hold to the early pioneers of space travel and engineering marvels that have changed the world and our exploration of space.

Exhibition highlights included several space-flown and Moon landed items, real rocket engines, a remarkable collection of space suits, and several full scale replicas including the front section of NASA’s iconic Space Shuttle, Atlantis, Lunar Rover, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space crafts and Soviet robotic lunar rover Lunokhod.

Queensland Museum Network CEO Dr Jim Thompson said it had been an absolute blast for the museum to host NASA – A Human Adventure. “Queenslanders loved the exhibition, which featured more than 250 historically significant artefacts from the United States and Soviet Union space programs,” said Dr Thompson.

“More than 6400 visitors enjoyed our programming for adults with our After Dark events and families’ event – A Night at the Museum, nearly 18,000 took part in school holiday workshops and Discovery Days and we have sold a record 17,772 space-themed shirts in the Queensland Museum Shop.”

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones was over the moon at the stellar success of the exhibition. “NASA – A Human Adventure has clearly been a star attraction not only for Queensland Museum, but for the local economy as 240,061 visitors have passed through the doors,” said Ms Jones.

While the final countdown has ended for NASA – A Human Adventure at Queensland Museum, the museum team are now preparing for a new show, Spiders – The Exhibitionwhich opens on December 6 and features more than 200 spiders and 12 live specimens. For more information, visit: www.qm.qld.gov.au for details.

Image: courtesy of NASA