Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

2009 has been proclaimed the International Year of Astronomy to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first recorded observations with a telescope. To commemorate this achievement in human discovery the Airport Art Program has teamed up with Agnes Scott College's Bradley Observatory to present passengers with From Earth to the Universe, an exhibit in the Airport Transportation Mall. The exhibit is a collection of images of outer space taken by professional and amateur astronomers from around the world. Views come from both ground- and space-based telescopes and represent the range of human knowledge about the universe.

The Transportation Mall presents a perfect venue to create the experience of moving increasingly distant from the Earth. Objects in the solar system are represented in the first hall, and walking from Concourse A to Concourse D, one metaphorically crosses great distances, starting a few light-minutes away from Earth and going billions of light years distant. These images are of such intensity and beauty that we hope even our busy travelers will stop and consider the distance "from Earth to the universe."

The exhibit is presented by the Airport Art Program and was funded with a grant from NASA given to Agnes Scott College's Bradley Observatory (http://www.agnesscott.edu). To learn more about this exhibit or the Airport Art Program please call (404) 382-2250.

Presented by the Airport Art Program, a thoughtful and engaging exhibit on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can be found on the Boarding Level of Concourse E. The exhibit is filled with outstanding photographs and artifacts from this remarkable man giving passengers a glimpse into his life. Viewers will see the suit Dr. King wore when meeting with President Lyndon Johnson, a radio he used to listen to news reports while on freedom walks and the robe he wore to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. The exhibit is on long-term loan from the King Center and is scheduled for a major expansion and renovation, so keep checking back for updates.

Visit http://www.thekingcenter.org for more information about the King Center.

Next time you find yourself in the Main Terminal Atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, you may notice a 10 feet tall and 31 feet long friend from China smiling down at you. It is the dinosaur, Yangchuanosaurus! On temporary loan from Atlanta's Fernbank Museum this huge predator from the late Jurassic period was installed in the Atrium to highlight the museum's world class collection of dinosaurs and bring a little taste of natural history to Airport visitors. Children as well as adults are invited to learn a little more about this amazing carnivore as well as the history of dinosaurs.

For more on the Fernbank Museum of Natural History go to http://www.fernbank.edu.

Three display cases located on the South Terminal feature hand-carved models of World War II aircraft created by Holice McAvoy. McAvoy was a craftsman from Washington, Georgia who devoted much of his life to designing and constructing airplane models. Here you'll find a sampling of the 42 in his collection. Each painstakingly rendered piece represents a significant aircraft from World War II at exactly one thirtieth the actual size of the plane. Using glued-up blocks of high-quality pine to carve the airplanes, McAvoy also cast plastic to create the windscreens and gun turrets. He then delicately painted the parts to capture realistic details. Each model aircraft is tied to a specific event from the War; paratroopers really jumped from a C-47 over France. The Douglas SBD-3 'Dauntless' was used by J.A. Leppla at the Battle of Coral Sea in May, 1942. Passengers will be delighted to see the elegance and care with which these planes were created.

Accompanying the model airplanes is an incredible collection of World War II "sweetheart jewelry" from the National Museum of Patriotism. The creation of sweetheart jewelry is a tradition that allows those left behind on the Home Front to honor loved ones away at war. During World War II people made pins, bracelets, buttons, and other trinkets to show their dedication to the soldiers closest to their hearts as well as their patriotism.

The Museum of Patriotism was founded by Atlanta resident Nicholas Snider and is located at 275 Baker Street. Visit http://www.museumofpatriotism.org for more information about the Museum of Patriotism.