Wamalug: Event: June 21, 2025: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Sally’s Night

Wamalug was part of an event, held each June around the anniversary of Sally Ride becoming the first American woman in space, celebrating Ride’s accomplishments and legacy and shining a light on women in STEM, in which our participation was billed as “LEGO Displays.” The event lasted from six to eleven o’clock in the evening, the museum does dim a bit after sundown.

Luis occupied an entire table with a collection of recent NASA-themed sets. Visitors were particularly taken with the tall LEGO Icons 10341 NASA Artemis Space Launch System, the complicated LEGO Technic 42158 NASA Mars Rover Perseverance, and the shiny stickers inside LEGO Icons 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery. Luis managed to drop his LEGO Ideas 92176 NASA Apollo Saturn V multiple times.

Constantine had older sets, including LEGO Ideas 21312 Women of NASA (featuring Dr. Ride), LEGO Ideas 21104 NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover designed by Wamalug member Stephen Pakbaz, and LEGO Technic 8480 Space Shuttle from 1996.

Dan had even older sets, with LEGO 6544 Shuttle Transcon 2 from 1995 and LEGO 1682 Space Shuttle from 1990.

Bret had a build of a never-completed NASA proposal for a satellite to communicate with future colonies on the moons of Jupiter or Saturn using long-wave radio.

Sherry had a large mosaic of the United States Space Force logo.

John brought the play brick and did his best to keep pieces from leaving.

Mike was there to help. He mostly builds Classic Space which does not fit with the museum’ s request for real space items.

Dan was our liaison to the museum, and Wamalug would like to thank the staff for inviting us, securing on-site parking, and providing a secluded eating space on the staff-only third floor. The museum is undergoing a multi-year renovation but hopes to be fully open on its 50th anniversary next year.

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