Mar 20, 2024
On Star Trek, a TV series that aired in the late 1960s, more than 400 crew members explored the galaxy aboard the USS Enterprise, which had a length of 947 feet and weighed 190,000 tons. In actuality, the starship was an 11-foot-long model made of poplar wood and vacu-formed plastic.
Star Trek Starship Enterprise studio model used in filming the original 1960s television series.
Film of the model appeared in all 79 episode of the original series (broadcast from 1966–69), and the model was donated to the National Air and Space Museum by Paramount Studios in 1974. Forty years later, the Museum undertook a two-year project to restore the Enterprise to how it looked during the filming of the 1967 episode "The Trouble with Tribbles"—the last known modification of the ship during the show's production. Today the Enterprise is displayed in the National Mall Building.
Learn more about this artifact on the Star Trek starship Enterprise Studio Model Conservation page.
This article is from the Spring 2024 issue of Air & Space Quarterly, the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today. Explore the full issue.
Want to receive ad-free hard-copies of Air & Space Quarterly? Join the Museum's National Air and Space Society to subscribe.
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.