Print

Celebrating 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing

moon landingMan first landed on the moon on July 20, 1969 — and the Atlantic City Free Public Library will commemorate the 50th anniversary of that historic Apollo 11 flight.
On Saturday, July 20, the library will play the live CBS coverage, anchored by Walter Cronkite, of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The 42-minute video will be shown on the Main Library’s first floor and played on a loop throughout the day.
Also on July 20, the library — in conjunction with the Film Society — will show the movie “Apollo 11” at 1 p.m. This program is open to all ages. The documentary is rated G and runs 93 minutes.
During July and August, the library will display NASA space memorabilia from the personal collection of Atlantic City librarian Ben Pensiero. The exhibit is located in the display cases near the Main Library Help Desk.
Included in the collection are several photographs autographed by Apollo astronauts, including the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, and three other astronauts who walked on the surface of the moon: John Young, Charlie Duke and Gene Cernan.
The collection originally belonged to Nicholas Pensiero, who worked for RCA, an electronics company which manufactured many components used in the space program, including cameras and radars. Most of what RCA contributed to the space program was manufactured nearby in Moorestown and Camden.
Also showcased are posters of historic photographs of Apollo missions, a large LEGO model of the Saturn V rocket, and other unique items from RCA’s Apollo-era publicity. New items will be added to the display throughout the summer.