Cosmosphere announces artifact donation by Neil Armstrong family.

By Aaron Strain / Web Master

The Cosmosphere announced Tuesday the donation of two artifacts to its International Science Education Center and Space Museum. Both items have flown in space and were incorporated in the Apollo 11 mission, in which Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the Moon.

One of the items is a 4-by-6-inch American flag.

The other item is a piece of fabric from the wing of the Wright Brothers’ first flying machine. The fabric piece was in the Lunar Module as the lander touched down on the Moon.

Armstrong’s sons, Rick and Mark, donated the items, which were part of the late astronaut’s collection.

Rick Armstrong, remarking on a 2019 visit to the Hall of Space Museum in a Cosmosphere press release, said, “I didn’t see anything from Apollo 11 (mission) on exhibit, and it seemed obvious to me they should have something from the flight.”

The Cosmosphere said the items will be on display in the Museum this year after working out specific details regarding their placement.

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