Donato Creti, "Osservazioni Astronomiche"
The lunar landing, 50 years ago

The lunar landing, 50 years ago

20 July 2019

Donato Creti, Astronomical observations, 1711 (Pinacoteca of the Vatican Museums)

On 20 July 1969 man landed on the moon and, on the fiftieth anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s first steps on the moon, the Museums pay homage to this historical event that represents “a small step forva man, but a giant leap for mankind”.

The Vatican Museums conserve fragments of lunar rock from the Apollo 11 expedition, the so-called stones of friendship, given to Vatican citizens by the president of the United States, Richard Nixon, along with the Vatican City State flag taken into space by the astronauts, on display in the Lower Galleries of the Vatican Museums – Sistine Hall.