Man on the moon

Buzz Aldrin, as photographed by Neil Armstrong.

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the moon.

Forty years later, a variety of American museums, space centres and other institutions are marking the anniversary with events, exhibits, concerts and lectures.

Here are a few details on some of the bigger activities and venues.

NASA also has a link to anniversary events from its website at http://www.nasa.gov/ (look for "Apollo 40th Anniversary" on the lower left side of the home page).

Ames Research Centre, Moffett Federal Airfield, near Sunnyvale, California:

July 19, "Moonfest," noon-6pm, featuring scientific talks, rocket launches, kids' activities, music. Free and open to the public. Details at http://moonfest.arc.nasa.gov/.

Armstrong Air and Space Museum, Wapakoneta, Ohio:

July 16-18, "Summer Moon Festival" (Thursday, 4pm-11pm, Friday, 1pm-midnight, Saturday, 7 am-midnight), including rides, games and entertainment, a giant MoonPie and other activities. Details at http://www.summermoonfestival.com.

July 20, noon-5pm, museum open for 40th anniversary celebration, with $4 admission.

For information about visiting this museum in astronaut Neil Armstrong's hometown at other times, visit http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/nw01.

Johnson Space Centre, Houston:

July 18, 6 pm-9 pm, "Fly Me to the Moon" picnic, games, activities, stargazing and talks, at University of Houston-Clear Lake's Alumni Plaza and Liberty Park. Free, open to the public.

July 20, 4 pm-9 pm, 40th anniversary event at Discovery Green, the downtown Houston park, with NASA's "Driven To Explore" mobile exhibit, which includes a moon rock you can touch. Free, open to the public.

July 24, 6.30pm-10pm, 40th anniversary "Splashdown Celebration," at Space Centre Houston, which is the Johnson Space Centre's official visitors centre; family event with Apollo-era speakers, MoonPies, hot dogs and music, $US11 ($A14) (free for age four and under).

For details on other Johnson Space Centre events, including some that require tickets, visit www.nasa.gov/centres/johnson/events/apollo40.html.

For details on Space Centre Houston exhibits and the NASA Tram Tour, visit www.spacecenter.org/. Regular admission to the Space Centre is $US20 ($A25.50) (ages 4-11, $US16 ($A20.40)).

Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts, Washington:

July 18, 8pm, "Salute to Apollo: The Kennedy Legacy" concert with National Symphony Orchestra, Chaka Kahn, Denyse Graves and others, including Buzz Aldrin as a narrator. Free and open to the public for the first 1,400 guests. Details at http://www.kennedycentre.com.

Kennedy Space Centre, near Cocoa Beach, Florida:

July 16, 11am, Buzz Aldrin and other astronauts will share stories from underneath a Saturn V rocket at the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. To attend, you must arrive at the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex by 10am and purchase regular admission.

July 16, 12.15pm, opening of Apollo Treasures Gallery at the Apollo/Saturn V Centre, showcasing artifacts from the Apollo moon missions including space suits, a space suit repair kit, and a cuff check list on how to deploy a flag on the moon, along with personal items from astronauts such as Alan Shepard's Corvette.

July 16, 3pm-4.30pm, book-signing in Astronaut Encounter Theatre by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, author of Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home From the Moon.

July 20, 2pm, a huge chocolate-and-marshmallow MoonPie will be unveiled for public consumption.

Other activities at the Kennedy Space Centre, where Apollo 11 was launched on July 16, 1969, include the NASA Up Close tour of space program facilities and artifacts. Admission to the visitor complex is $US38 ($A48.50) plus tax for adults, $US28 ($A35.70) plus tax for ages three-11. More details at www.KennedySpaceCentre.com.

Museum of Flight, Seattle:July 11-12 and 18-19, 11.15 am and 1.15 pm, Apollo Program: Splashdown! for families.

July 18-25, 11am and 1pm (July 19, 11am and 2pm), Tip-to-Tail Tours: Apollo Artifacts, tour of Apollo artifacts including Apollo command module and lunar rover.

July 23-25, 10am-5pm, NASA Vision for Space Exploration Mobile Exhibit, offering a simulated space journey with interactive and hands-on activities; Museum Airpark Parking Lot.

To July 31: Exhibit of astronaut John Young's Apollo 10 spacesuit.

To September 12: Exhibit of Apollo 11 artwork by artist Paul Calle, who was hired by NASA to document the space program. Calle and his son will be at the museum for a lecture, August 29, 2pm

For details on these and other exhibits, visit www.museumofflight.org. The museum is open daily; admission $14 ($US7.50 ($A9.60) for ages five-17.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington:

July 16, 10am, opening of exhibit Alan Bean: Painting Apollo, First Artist on Another World, paintings by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean. Open to January 13.

July 16, 10am -3pm, Countdown to the Moon family day, with educational activities led by the museum's space history curators and planetary scientists working on current NASA projects.

July 19, 11am-2 pm, book-signings with three astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, author of Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon; Alan Bean, author of Painting Apollo; and Michael Collins, author of the 40th anniversary edition of Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys.

The museum's collection includes the Apollo 11 Command Module in its Milestones of Flight gallery and Buzz Aldrin's space suit in the Apollo to the Moon gallery. Admission to the museum is free. For details on other events at the museum, visit www.nasm.si.edu/events/apollo11/apollo11events.cfm.

US Space and Rocket Centre and Davidson Centre for Space Exploration, Hunstville, Alabama:

July 20: First Footprint Celebration, 1-5 pm, with NASA-sponsored exhibit of space program artifacts. Event is open to the public with space centre admission ($US25 ($A32) or $US19 ($A24.25) for children, free for ages six and under).

Crowds are expected for the July 20 event. The Davidson Centre is open daily, with permanent exhibits including the Saturn V rocket and other space program artifacts. Details at www.spacecamp.com.

AP