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Author
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Topic: American Space Museum (Titusville, Florida)
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FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-11-2007 04:39 PM
  
Editor's note: The Space Walk of Fame Museum has been renamed the American Space Museum. See here for details.I'd like to give a plug to the Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, Florida. I'd never got to it before on prior trips to the Cape, so suspect some others haven't too, and I'm kicking myself for not visiting such an incredible hidden gem before now. The museum is so different from anything else down at the Cape — it has a hands-on, homegrown, personal feel that many more official exhibitions lack. Concentrating more on those who worked out of the spotlight to make the program happen, it has rooms upon rooms of amazing artifacts. The people there are so friendly. I was offered two tours while I was there! I can't recommend it highly enough. You really feel far closer to the program in this kind of intimate setting. |
Steven Kaplan
Member Posts: 140
From: New Jersey
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 06-12-2007 06:23 AM
I'll second the above. A wonderful little gem of a museum. The volunteers are great, and the nuts and bolts artifacts are very interesting. Stop by and make a donation if you are visiting Kennedy Space Center. Well worth the trip. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 946
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-14-2007 10:02 PM
In July/August 2005 I was at Kennedy Space Center for the flight of STS-114. I made it a point to go to the Space Walk of Fame Museum daily. An excellent museum and great people to go along with it. Thank you and keep supporting the Space Walk of Fame Museum. |
Moonpaws
Member Posts: 685
From: Lee's summit, MO
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 06-15-2007 09:25 AM
I too was impressed with the Museum. I chatted with a spry young woman there for awhile. Her name eludes me, but very pleasant to speak with. She has lived in the area since the early 60's. |
tncmaxq
Member Posts: 287
From: New Haven, CT USA
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 06-15-2007 01:34 PM
I had hoped to go to the museum but did not make it. I'm sorry now I did not. This makes it more likely I will try to make another trip down there for STS-118.  |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-08-2010 08:49 PM
I'm in Florida for the launch this week. FANTASTIC!Anyway, it's my fourth trip here and I finally got to the little "Space Walk of Fame Museum." If you are a collector, you must go see this museum. The place is packed with all kinds of artifacts, equipment, models and other things. It's a free museum, but I did put a donation in the box after visiting. It was kind of like my collection in my living room, but much cooler, and a lot more of it! |
AFGAS
Member Posts: 89
From: Merritt Island, FL
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 02-09-2010 06:22 AM
The best thing about the museum, is that it is a collection of what the people who work at the space center think are important. A real insiders' guide to KSC. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 02-26-2010 12:31 PM
Joel Katzowitz, Jimmy Brown and I visited the museum while we were in town for the STS-129 launch. Sam B. took us through the museum and he talked extensively about many of the artifacts. You could tell he was still excited about the US manned space program and proud of its accomplishments. Every reader of this forum should visit the museum if the chance arises. |
4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 02-26-2010 02:19 PM
Gil, great to read that you visited the museum. Did you walk out to the water to see the monuments? That is always a cool thing to do that I try to see when I am in the area. |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-27-2010 06:09 PM
I really liked this museum. It's a very low budget thing with "junk" stacked all over the place and in donated glass cases (one of them said "Nintendo" along the bottom). Not all polished and fancy like the NASA stuff, but it was wonderful! I really like these kind of museums. 
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ringo67
Member Posts: 179
From: Seekonk, Mass., USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 04-06-2010 09:46 PM
Went to the Space Walk of Fame Museum and had a wonderful tine. I highly recommend it. I was in town to cover the STS-131 launch and I stopped by before going to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.A guy whose name escapes me (thought it was Charlie Mars at first, but it wasn't) gave me a great tour of the exhibits. Some of his facts were a little muddy, but I knew what he was talking about and I enjoyed talking with him. Near the end of the tour I see some Japanese journalists who are doing a story on Titusville and the space program. They are setting up in the shuttle area and who walks in, but Sam Beddingfield. I listened from another room as they interviewed him. Then they asked me to let Sam show me around while they shot some B-roll. I talked with Sam and the other guy for another 15 or 20 minutes before Sam had to leave for Valiant Air Command Museum. |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 04-07-2010 04:10 PM
Isn't that little place the best museum in that area? I loved it! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-23-2014 11:07 PM
Florida Today reports the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum will nearly triple the area to display its equipment, memorabilia and relics when it moves in May to a larger location on U.S. 1 alongside other historic buildings in downtown Titusville. Its new 6,100-square-foot home on the corner of Pine Street and U.S. 1 puts the space museum about 100 yards from several historic downtown buildings: St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, built in 1887, Pritchard House, built in 1891, Brevard County Courthouse, built in 1912, and Titusville Playhouse, built in 1916.Roz Foster, president of the North Brevard Heritage Foundation, hopes to create a partnership between the space museum and the Pritchard House to bring more visitors downtown. "We are looking forward to them moving there to promote both of our venues," Foster said. "It opens up a lot of possibilities for both of us." |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 03-24-2014 05:58 AM
Larger facilities and a downtown location - great news! I was very impressed when I visited it in 2008. |
4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 03-24-2014 06:31 AM
That's great news. I still have good memories from the last location in the Searstown Mall. More real estate is never a bad thing. Still not the same place without Mr. Beddingfield as a tour guide. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-10-2014 09:12 AM
Courtesy Charlie Mars, a few photos of the new Space Walk of Fame Museum building. 
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MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1337
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 04-10-2014 12:00 PM
I look forward to my next trip to SWOF in Titusville and the expanded "space."SWOF is always a stop for me when I visit KSC as they have so many neat artifacts from the space workers. And I always buy the 25 cent postcards here to send to my space friends. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-16-2014 04:41 PM
The Space Walk of Fame Museum will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening for its new location (308 Pine Street, Titusville, Florida) on Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT. Admission for this event will be free. |
Shuttlewatcher
New Member Posts: 3
From: Tampa, Fl, Hills.
Registered: Jun 2002
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posted 05-19-2014 07:03 AM
I've been donating pieces of my collection for a while. It is well worth the effort to see it. |
crash
Member Posts: 318
From: West Sussex, England
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 05-19-2014 01:16 PM
Have they opened the doors to the public yet? I appreciate the events on the 31st but often the 'official' opening occurs after the actual opening. I am there Tuesday through Thursday this week and so have my fingers crossed. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-19-2014 02:11 PM
The museum noted on their Facebook page that they are open, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Have a great visit! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-12-2014 08:57 AM
Here's a video overview of some of the Space Walk of Fame Museum's exhibits: |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 06-12-2014 01:57 PM
Nice museum. And that room where people (kids of all ages  ) can play mission control: neat. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1211
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 06-12-2014 04:40 PM
Maybe I can swing by when I am over there on Saturday! |
Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 06-12-2014 06:25 PM
I'd say that looks like some of our cS'ers homes/basements! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-12-2014 06:48 PM
The museum is now showcasing two of the engines it has had in storage for the last several years. The vertical engine is an RL-10 from an Atlas Centaur; the other is from the second stage of a Titan rocket.See more in the Space Walk of Fame's Flickr album.  |
Merkaw
Member Posts: 30
From: Denmark
Registered: Aug 2014
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posted 08-03-2014 02:00 PM
Visited this summer. I loved it. Very interesting collection. Lots of unique stuff on display.
The staff is so friendly. If you haven't been there, you should. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-01-2016 12:01 AM
collectSPACE Space Walk of Fame retitles Florida facility 'American Space Museum'A Florida museum led and supported by spaceflight pioneers, community leaders and former space program workers now has a new name to better reflect its mission. The U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum, founded in 2001, has been renamed the American Space Museum. "The name change was a logical next step in our evolution as it gives visitors a better idea of what they'll experience at our facility," said Tara Dixon Engel, the American Space Museum's executive director, in a statement.  |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 11-01-2016 12:02 PM
Whatever the name, it's a great museum. |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 11-01-2016 01:24 PM
I visited the new location in September. It is excellent and they now own it, so this is a permanent location now. They have worked to redo the interior and the displays and exhibits are looking very good. |
Silver
Member Posts: 62
From: Washington, DC
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 11-13-2016 07:56 AM
I want to take an opportunity to show my admiration and support for Chuck Jeffrey (cS: Chuckster01) and all the folks at the American Space Museum. Chuck was very gracious in helping me with a personal favor this weekend and I was inspired by his selflessness and devotion to the museum and its cause. The people at the Space Walk of Fame Foundation are truly kind individuals who work hard because they believe in preserving, honoring, and inspiring space past, present, and future.If you have the opportunity to visit the museum, please visit and support their cause by spreading the word and donating if at all possible. As with many good causes, they don't get the funding they deserve and as a community, it is our responsibility to see that quality institutions like this keep their doors open, not just for us, but for our children, and their children. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1211
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 02-24-2017 09:43 AM
I finally got to this museum on Wednesday. It is an amazing collection. It is well worth the five mile or so side trip to get there. A perfect place to visit on a rainy day. |
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