Exhibitions

This exhibition features fragments of moon rock brought back to Earth by Apollo 17. When Apollo 17 returned from the moon on December 19, 1972 it made the record books for several reasons. It was the last and longest manned lunar mission and brought back the largest amount of moon samples. The mission was manned by Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. Schmitt, the only geologist ever to become an astronaut.

While retrieving samples from the Taurus-Littrow valley, Schmitt and Cernan picked up a rock that became sample 70017. They dedicated it to all of the young people of the planet Earth. In 1973, President Richard Nixon had fragments of the moon rock sent to all 50 U.S. states and provinces, as well as 135 foreign heads of state. These became known as the Goodwill moon rocks. New York's moon rock will be on view with pertinent information and fun facts.