Retired NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin Leads Inspiring Family-Friendly Event at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Retired NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin Leads Inspiring Family-Friendly Event at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Media Alert
April 3, 2023
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of PR & Marketing; tfuqua@VirginiaHistory.org; 804.342.9661

Richmond, Va – Join the Virginia Museum of History & Culture for an exciting afternoon with Virginia astronaut, Leland Melvin, who will share the inspirational story of grit, grace, and second chances that led him to space.

A Lynchburg native, graduate of the University of Richmond, and the only person in history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space, Leland will discuss his personal journey through the pages of the book Chasing Space. Tickets include day-of-program access to the VMHC to experience the museum’s newest exhibition, Apollo: When We Went to the Moon. This interactive exhibition, which will be on display through December 31, 2023, chronicles how space exploration that began as an extension of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union ultimately led to international cooperation both on and off Earth. Visitors can touch a piece of the Moon, be transported to the Apollo 11 launch pad as part of an immersive audiovisual experience; leave their “footprints” behind as they walk across a virtual lunar surface; and climb aboard a full-scale Apollo 17 lunar rover model to experience how astronauts got around on the moon.

Date:

Saturday, April 15th

Time:

3:00 pm- 4:00 pm.

Location:

Virginia Museum of History & Culture

428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard

Richmond, Virginia 2322

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit VirginiaHistory.org/ChasingSpace.

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The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is the only institution dedicated to presenting the entire history of Virginia over time and across regions. Its nationally significant collection of more than 9 million objects, renowned research library, galleries and public programs demonstrate the centrality of Virginia to the narrative of the United States.

The VMHC is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation.

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