The National Air and Space Museum

Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.

The National Air and Space Museum features one original Norman Rockwell painting in its permanent collection.

While not strictly a Norman Rockwell museum, I have included it because it contains several important original Norman Rockwell paintings among its collection.

All of the Norman Rockwell original paintings included in the collection are related to space exploration and astronauts.

Of course, you could spend several days exploring all of the space and flight related artwork, artifacts and displays.

Better plan an extended vacation around Washington, DC.

Six Original Norman Rockwell Aerospace Paintings

The first Norman Rockwell astronaut painting in the Museum's collection is The Longest Step (Grissom and Young Suiting Up.)

The Longest Step, a 33 x 52.375 inches or 84 x 133 cm oil on canvas, was published in an article inside the April 20, 1965 issue of ***Look magazine.shtml***.

Next in the collection is Man on the Moon (Portrait of an Astronaut), a 10 x 8.35 inches or 25.5 x 21 cm oil on canvas. Man on the Moon was published in another article on January 10 1967 in Look magazine. The article was entitled Man on the Moon and written by John Osmondson.

Also included in the collection is Man on the Moon (United States Space Ship on the Moon) 71 x 46 inches or 180 x 117 cm oil on canvas

The next painting in the collection of the National Air and Space M useum is Apollo and Beyond (Apollo II Space Team). Apollo and Beyond is a 28.5 x 66 inches or 72.5 x 167.5 cm oil on canvas painting. This illustration was originally published in the July 15 1969 edition of Look magazine. It illustrated an article written by Arthur C. Clarke of science fiction fame.

The final painting by Norman Rockwell is The Final Impossibility: Man's Tracks on the Moon (Two Men on the Moon).This painting of a moon landing and walk is a 42.5 x 61.5 inches or 108 x 156 cm oil on canvas. This painting illustrated a story published December 30 1969 in Look magazine. The story was also entitled The Final Impossibility: Man's Tracks on the Moon.

Man on the Moon (Lift off from the Moon) was painted by Pierre Mion and Norman Rockwell. This thrilling painting of the lunar module lifting off from the surface of the moon is a 41 x 14.5 inches or 104 x 37 cm Goache on board.

Of course, the Museum has many other fine works of art in addition to these original Norman Rockwell paintings.

This Museum is definitely worth a visit as is the entire Smithsonian Institute.

Two other Smithsonian Institute Museums, the Museum of Natural History and the National Portrait Gallery, feature Norman Rockwell paintings in their collections.

About The National Air and Space Museum

The Museum is open every day except December 25th. Museum hours are 10AM to 5:30PM, with special hours on some holidays. See the calendar on the website for further details.

Admission is free.

The National Air and Space Museum
6th and Independence Ave SW
Washington, D.C. 20560

Phone (202) 633-1000

Visit the museum website. (Opens new window.)