There is an extraordinary exhibit at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA called Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission going on now through Feb. 18, 2019. Make plans now to take your family for a Smithsonian experience close to home!
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On Loan from Smithsonian: Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission at Heinz History Center!
Heinz History Center is just 1 of 4 museums in the USA to host Destination Moon with exhibits on loan from the Smithsonian. This is a rare opportunity to explore the Apollo 11 mission including the national treasure of the Command Module Columbia! Columbia is the only portion of Apollo 11 spacecraft to complete the mission and return man home to Earth. There are over 100 artifacts from Apollo 11 and the crew on exhibit.
Experience over 100 artifacts from Apollo 11 and the crew on exhibit like this F-1 engine injector plate from the first-stage engines of Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket. It was recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 2013!
It was really neat to see the Apollo 11 Hatch from both the outside below.
It was also neat to see how it looked to the astronauts on the inside.
Some things I had no idea what they were at the exhibit like these Alcoa aluminum honeycomb shock absorbers. There is plenty for everyone to learn at this exhibit! They had very soft landing so the shock absorbers were barely even compressed which also resulted in a higher jupm from the ladder to the Moon’s surface!
How fasinating to see the black and white camera that was used to record Armstrong’s first steps on the moon! Glad it worked!
What a neat ‘rock box’ the lunar sample return container is!
Even more so is an actual rock from the moon! It is estimated to be 3,300,000,000 years old!
There is a mock Mission Control set up too.
There are several ways to explore Apollo 11 with interactive touch screens in the mission control center.
It was so cool to check out Columbia Apollo 11 Command Module and to know it was actually in space! It carried the crew, equipment and precious rock samples and now we get to see it up close in Pittsburgh!
There are way too many cool artifacts to share here in this one post – sorry for so many pictures but it is just such an exciting exhibit that I feel like I have to keep sharing! Did you even know that there was a printed checklist sewn to the astronaut’s glove? Things like this I had no idea until now.
We should all be prepared with a survival kit, for emergencies. Can you imagine the thought that went into creating a survival kit for space? Each kit were built to help support life for up to 48 hours. This is on exhibit from NASA Johnson Space Center.
This is the Welcome Home banner from the village of Timber Cove.
Also on display are flight medals.
Just like when Americans gathered around their TVs in 1969, you’ll have the chance to witness as astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon
There was so much to see and do in this exhibit – even retro games and toys with the space theme! Don’t they look fun and exciting?! Imagine what much more exciting it would have been back then.
Heinz History Center
Heinz History Center offers 6 floors and 370,000 square feet of exploration! A Smithsonian Affiliate, this center collaborates with the Smithsonian Institution on many different exhibits, programs, and projects. Plan to spend at least 3-4 hours, maybe more!
The Heinz exhibit was fun and enlightening. 
On display were original items from as far back as 1900 including chef uniform, thermometers, and tools used to make the first of Heinz products. 
It all became in Sharpsburg, PA, which neighbors Pittsburgh. It is exciting to see where things we take for granted, like ketchup all began. Heinz was one of the earliest American food companies to have an international market too. Their business model worked so well, even over 100 years later because they continue to react to new trends in the way we eat and adjust to keep Heinz on the table. 
We learned a lot about Pittsburgh’s coal, wood, and iron industry and how it affected the entire country. 
The kids enjoyed stepping inside one of the ‘steamboats’ to learn about life on the steamboat that carried the iron. It was a dangerous job and not for the seasick!
There are interactive exhibits throughout the Heinz History Center for kids and adults alike. This keeps everything engaged. In one area, there was a TV with Mr. Rogers on.
Mr. Fred Rogers is a beloved icon for Pittsburgh. There are a couple places in the museum that pay his tribute. In one area, there is a tv that has a video with the senate subcommittee in 1969 in which Mr. Rogers challenged the cuts for public broadcasting. This is such a moving video!
The kids enjoyed seeing what a really old-fashion living was like with complete set-ups of kitchens and living rooms.
The living room was complete with Pittsburgh’s first TV station, WDTV.
I think I could see myself whipping up something delicious for dinner in this 1940’s Pittsburgh kitchen!
We also learned about early Pittsburgh and how they learned to cultivate and store food and lived their daily lives. I cannot see myself in this kitchen!
They have modern exhibits including costumes from Black Panther that were inspired by ancient indigenous cultures in Africa. It was amazing to see up close!
Make plans now to visit Heinz History Center with your family. The Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission exhibit is on display for a limited time, now through Feb. 18, 2019.
Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-454-6000
Check out all our Pittsburgh travel posts to make your trip into a full weekend getaway!
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Cindy is the top Akron Blogger with her own take on awesome brands for families, where to vacation for families, a beat on local activities and family fun, a knack for getting moms to share , and a house that is always 2 weeks away from a complete remodel!
