The end of an orbit and a new Moon set to riseNews | Created 23 Oct 2024 Attracting more than 107,000 visitors from across WA, interstate, and overseas is just one of the many successes we are celebrating from our latest homegrown exhibition, To the Moon, which closed on 7 October. With humanity on the brink of returning to the Moon after over 50 years, To the Moon illuminated what we know and what’s yet to come, all while retracing our poetic yearnings for the Moon. Curated by Helen Simondson, the Manager of the WA Museum Boola Bardip, the multiform exhibition danced between scientific knowledge and creative interpretations of the Moon throughout the ages. It even featured a commissioned piece that brought together both art and science—The Art of Lunar Dust by WA digital artist Steve Berrick. Other exhibition highlights included a Moon rock on loan from NASA, Field Carr’s commissioned multiscreen artwork Memento Moon and UK artist Luke Jerram’s touring installation Museum of the Moon, which was shown indoors for the first time in Western Australia. Like the ever-changing appearance of the Moon, the exhibition space reimagined itself in the many programs and events we hosted, welcoming a wave of new audiences from day to night. Friday nights came alive in the Lunar Lounge pop-up, and the excitement carried on during the day too. Little space explorers had the opportunity to launch into the wonders of space during school visits, early learning programs and school holiday adventures. They even got to meet their astronaut idol, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, at 'Ask an Astronaut'— a sold-out event made just for budding young space explorers. Our exhibition not only sparked your imagination but also inspired the creativity of organisations across the world. Coldplay fans gathered for an exclusive preview of the band's newest album Moon Magic, WA’s first space strategy was unveiled and Chung Wah Association joined forces with us to celebrate the Moon Festival. We even saw couples profess their love to the Moon and back, with a wedding and a proposal beneath the glowing Moon. The WA Museum remains dedicated to accessibility, ensuring an enjoyable and comfortable experience for every visitor. For the first time, we engaged the Centre for Accessibility Australia to enhance our inclusive storytelling efforts, resulting the launch of additional resources to help visitors navigate To the Moon with ease. A Moon mission wouldn’t be complete without a keepsake. While To the Moon has blasted off, the WA Museum will be welcoming a new piece to its collection to remember the exhibition by. We’re thrilled to have acquired our own Museum of the Moon installation, which spans five metres in diameter and showcases the Moon as seen from the southern hemisphere. Visitors can look forward to enjoying it year-round at the WA Museum Boola Bardip in 2025. Until the next mission, thank you to everyone who joined us for To the Moon at the WA Museum Boola Bardip. We couldn’t have brought you To the Moon without the incredible support of our exhibition partners, including: International Space Centre, AROSE, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, the Australian Space Agency, the US Consulate in Perth, NASA, Luke Jerram, Mossenson Galleries, the Art Gallery of WA, Kevin Robertson, the Forrest Research Foundation, and the Foundation for the WA Museum. The exhibition was made all the more successful with contributions from visitors, organisations and artists, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone’s support.