By Stephen Appezzato
LINCROFT – A museum can be an inspirational place. For Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut, a trip to the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. as a teen ignited an interest, which eventually led him to the launchpad.
However, for children who can’t make it to the capital’s world-renowned museums, “How are we inspiring them?” asked Erika Schaefer, the executive director of the Monmouth Museum, a 15,000-squarefoot museum on the campus of Brookdale Community College with children’s wings and galleries with rotating exhibits.
Her answer? Bring outer space to Monmouth County. On June 4, Schaefer welcomed Reisman to Lincroft to help unveil the Garrett Reisman Center for Air and Space, named after the New Jersey native to honor his achievements and dedication to creating the exhibit. The museum wing features a collection of unique space travel artifacts, visual displays, LEGO models and more. According to Schaefer, the idea to bring space exploration to life at the museum was born during the COVID-19 lockdown, while pondering ideas around her dining room table with a sketch pad.
“It was an opportunity, in a way, to reimagine ourselves, specifically with that wing that it’s in, which is the Becker wing,” Schaefer explained about the Reisman Center. Schaefer wanted to create an air and space exhibit to present science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) topics to museum visitors in a fun and fascinating way, inspiring children who may be curious about outer space.
After wondering if any famous “space” scientists were from New Jersey, Schaefer came across Reisman, a former NASA astronaut from Parsippany who now works as a senior advisor at SpaceX and a technical consultant for Apple TV+’s “For All Mankind.”
To Schaefer’s surprise, Reisman responded almost instantly to her email proposition, enthusiastically coming on board with the project.
“He was really into that idea of being able to have such a large impact on a community and to also pass that (inspiration) on to Jersey kids, just like him,” Schaefer said.
The two, along with support from NASA, worked to secure multiyear loans on one-of-a-kind galactic artifacts, including Reisman’s NASA flight suit, as well as an Apollo glove and helmet. The Monmouth Museum also secured a Russian flight suit worn by Reisman during a mission to the International Space Station. “I think it brings to life for kids what actually happens and how countries work together in space,” Schaefer said about the suit and international space missions.
Educational visuals, interactive simulators and a “constellation station” accompany the unique space travel artifacts. Visitors can also explore fundamental physics concepts like gravity through physical displays and even learn about John Glenn’s historic 1962 earth orbit while sitting inside a model of his Friendship 7 capsule.
Additionally, precise LEGO models of the International Space Station, Saturn 5 Rocket and the Lunar Lander are on display, built and donated by Oceanport resident Domenic Ranieri.
“I think it (the exhibit) kind of makes it more tangible, like ‘this could be me one day,’ Schaefer said.
“I’m excited to see that kind of open children’s eyes a little bit.”
Museum visitors will have plenty of time to catch a glimpse of the rare space artifacts. According to Schaefer, in accordance with the museum’s agreement with NASA, the Apollo pieces will be featured for about four years. However, that loan is just the start of a partnership between the two organizations. “We’ll change out items but the overall area, that second floor of the Becker Wing, will remain named after Garrett and will continue on with air and space. So, that is permanent,” Schaefer said.
Reisman and Schaefer hope the wing will inspire children for years to come and bring vast STEM concepts to life, sparking interest in space exploration and science, just as the New Jerseyan astronaut’s visit to the Air and Space Museum did when he was 13.
“I hope they retain the belief that anything is possible for themselves,” Schaefer said, and “that no matter where you live, no matter what your background is or what kind of house you’re growing up in, that you can do anything.”
For more information about the exhibit or the museum, visit monmouthmuseum.org.
The article originally appeared in the June 8 – 14, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
