This is the model of the alien Mother Ship used in the filming of the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (Columbia Pictures, 1977). The ship was conceived by Steven Spielberg, the film's director and screenwriter. It was made by a team headed by Gregory Jein, using model train parts and other kits. When filmed with special photographic and lighting effects, the model appears to be a huge, hovering craft. Rotating, colored lights underneath the ship added to its effects.
Looking closely at the model, one can find tiny hidden smaller models which are not seen when the Mother Ship appears in the film. These models were added by the model makers as internal "jokes." They include a Volkswagen bus, a submarine, the R2-D2 android, a U.S. mailbox, an aircraft, and a small cemetery plot.
Display Status
This object is on display in Human Spaceflight at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Date
1977
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
MODELS-Miscellaneous
Manufactured for
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Model Maker
Entertainment Effects Group
Dimensions
Length, 63 inches; width, 38 inches; weight, shipping, 400 pounds; case: 74 x 74 inches
Materials
Wood, plastic, and metal
Alternate Name
Mother Ship Model
Inventory Number
A19790906000
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.
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