Get lost in space

9:38am Wednesday 27th February 2008

THIS exhibition examines the impact space exploration has had on everyday life, especially futuristic design and the fantasy worlds created for children and adults alike.

It includes a fascinating in depth look at space exploration. People have always been fascinated by the stars and what lies beyond their known world.

Since ancient times, people have used astronomy to try to understand and make sense of their place in the cosmos.

Space fantasy has a long history in literature, with stories dating back centuries. Classic books such as H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds' (1898) brought these ideas to the attention of a wider audience.

With the public's imagination sparked, space fantasy began to appear in comics, film and television.

Our fascination with science fiction has played an important role in our physical realisation of reaching space.

Jules Verne's book 'From the Earth to the Moon' (1865) inspired pioneers of space travel, such as Robert Goddard (1882-1945), the inventor of modern rocketry.

Ideas of space fantasy also inspired the production of highly imaginative toys for children, long before space travel was actually achieved, many of which form part of this exhibition.

Space Age: Exploration, design and popular culture exhibition runs at V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA until April 6, 2008. Tel: 020 8983 5200.

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