SESSION DESCRIPTION:
Space-themed science fiction shares many characteristics with that other great American genre, the western. In the 1930s and 1950s, science fiction franchises like Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Captain Video, and Space Patrol spawned a slew of merchandise similar to that of Roy Rogers, Red Ryder, and Davy Crockett. Curator Margaret A. Weitekamp presents space-themed toys from the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in a discussion how these toys encouraged our imaginations and our fascination with the “space frontier.”
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Virtual Graphic Facilitation:
This session was illustrated in real time. Click the thumbnail image to the left for an illustrated summary of this session.
SMITHSONIAN EXPERT:
Curator and award-winning author Margaret A. Weitekamp oversees more than four thousand pieces of space and science fiction memorabilia at the National Air and Space Museum. The collection ranges from toys and games to the an eight-foot lighted star she recently acquired for the Smithsonian from Astroland, a space-themed Coney Island amusement park that opened in 1962 and closed in 2008. She earned a B.A. at the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. at Cornell University.
6:00 pm on April 28th, 2010
These are from my students
How much is the average colection worth?
What are some of the advances that have come from the space program?
How large is the average collection of the toys?
How did space program increase the number of toys?
Is the Smithsonian trying to increase their collection?
[Reply]
3:57 pm on May 2nd, 2010
I was strongly influenced by my fascination with space toys, and space in general, to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering. I played with various cowboy toys as well, but that was looking back…the space toys were for looking forward. Vintage “space toys” is a BIG market on eBay, and not just for the collectors….so the fascination continues.
[Reply]