National Air and Space Museum Archives

Observatory Postcards

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.2018.0060
Dates:
1905-2001
Languages:
English
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Physical Description:
0.79 Cubic feet
2 containers
Repository:
This collection consists of the observatory postcards gathered by Dr. David DeVorkin as part of the Explore the Universe exhibit.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of the postcards gathered by Dr. David DeVorkin as part of the Explore the Universe exhibit. Postcards from the following observatories are included: Allegheny; Arecibo Radio; Berlin-Treptow; Cambridge University, UK; David Dunlap; Dominion Astrophysical; European Southern; Green Bank Radio Telescope; Griffith; Harvard-SAO; Jodrell Bank; Keck; Kitt Peak National; Lick; Mauna Kea; McDonald; Mount Wilson; Palomar; Potsdam Astrophysical; Royal Observatory Greenwich; Vassar College; Very Large Array; and Whipple-MMT. The collection also contains CDs containing digital surrogates of the postcards, which were scanned by NASM staff or volunteers.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Arranged by Observatory.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The National Air and Space Museum's (NASM) Explore the Universe exhibit shows how ideas about the Universe evolved as new astronomical instruments were developed. It presents the Universe as discerned by the naked eye, then shows how the telescope, photography, spectroscopy, and digital technology revolutionized our view. The largest section describes what astronomers today think about the nature of the Universe. As part of this exhibit, curator Dr. David DeVorkin, collected astronomical observatory postcards from the public. Some of the postcards were featured in the exhibit as well as the associated NASM website.
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Administration

Author
Patti Williams
Immediate Source of Acquisition
NASM Space History Department, Transfer, 2018, NASM.2018.0060
Processing Information
Arranged, described, and encoded by Patti Williams, 2019.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Preferred Citation
Observatory Postcards, NASM.2018.0060, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Astronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Observatories -- Astrophysical Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Astronomy -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Air and Space Museum Archives
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