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Enola Gay Exhibition Records

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Object Details

Creator:
National Air and Space Museum
Topic
Aeronautical museums
Museum exhibits
World War, 1939-1945
Atomic bomb
Creator:
National Air and Space Museum
See more items in
Enola Gay Exhibition Records
Extent
15 cu. ft. (15 record storage boxes)
Date
circa 1988-1995
Archival Repository
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Identifier
Accession 96-140
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Manuscripts
Floppy disks
Drawings
Brochures
Black-and-white photographs
Electronic records
Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 96-140, National Air and Space Museum, Enola Gay Exhibition Records
Genre/Form
Clippings
Manuscripts
Floppy disks
Drawings
Brochures
Black-and-white photographs
Electronic records
Descriptive Entry
This accession consists of a collection of files documenting the Enola Gay exhibition and aspects of the controversy which followed. The files include the correspondence of the Director of the Museum, Martin Harwit; the Department of Aeronautics; the curator, Michael Neufeld; and the Exhibit Project Coordinator, Victor Govier. Also included are many scripts under the original title of the exhibition, The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the end of World War II. There is a great deal of correspondence with veterans groups and the public. Some photographs and exhibition drawings are also included. Comment cards completed by visitors to the exhibition can be found in Accession 96-036.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1503510610418-1503510610424-0
Metadata Usage
CC0

In the Collection

Pages

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  • Aeronautics Department Files

  • Folder 7 Pictures eliminated, June Script - Unit 400. Photo copies of pictures eliminated from the exhibit.

  • Folder 5 Office of the Director, Veterans letters, #4. Contains correspondence with veterans and the general public dealing with the controversy over the Enola Gay Exhibit, 1993-1995.

  • 7) Dated March 9-13, 1994 - changes as of May 31, 1994 marked up for translator.

  • Folder 6 A-Bomb film. Copies of descriptions of film footage about the A-Bomb at the National Archives.

  • Box 11

  • 6) The Last Act - dated October 26, 1994 - changes made at gallery stage December 1994 - January 1995

  • Folder 18 Miscellaneous letters, internal memorandum, and newspaper articles dealing with the exhibit.

  • 5) Dated May 31, 1994 - marked with first round of August 1994 changes. This was the version Martin Harwit signed his approval.

  • Folder 10 Script, Unit V - conclusion. Script of Unit V dated January 12, 1994.

  • Folder 9 Script, Unit IV. Early undated draft of Unit IV with some hand written comments, a paper on the "Long Term Effects of Atomic Bombing"

  • Folders 13-14 General correspondence, June 1994. Correspondence to and from the general public dealing with the Enola Gay controversy, dated June 1994.

  • Folder 7 Air Force Association. Correspondence between the Air Force Association and NASM Office of Public Affairs and others at NASM and, a special report by the AFA entitled "The Smithsonian and the Enola Gay" dated March 15, 1994.

  • Folder 1 Special Exhibit Fund proposal. Contains copies of SEF Planning Grant Proposal for "Hiroshima and Nagasaki: A Fiftieth Anniversary Exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum" with hand written editorial changes.

  • Folder 7 Correspondence with Japan. Contains correspondence with Japan dated 1993-1994, and a report entitled "Hiroshima's Comments on the NASM Exhibition Planning Document (translation)."

  • Box 5

  • Box 2

  • 6) Dated May 31, 1994 - translated in to Japanese, translation #2

  • Loose: Color swatches for graphic panels, typeface and point size samples for text, a photo of aircraft carrier exhibit in NASM, and a box of diskettes containing floor plans, elevations, and details of exhibit. (includes electronic records)

  • 9) The Last Act - in binder - Changes in the Enola Gay Script Between January 14, 1995 and August 31, 1995 - from the Secretary and Under Secretary

  • Folder 10 H/N Artifacts (American). Contains lists of artifacts to be loaned to NASM for the exhibit, and correspondence dealing with the loans of correspondence.

  • Folder 5 Last Act advisers. Contains correspondence with comments about the scripts from various advisers. Dated 1993-1994.

  • Folder 9 Exhibit title. Contains correspondence on changing the title of the exhibition from Crossroads to The Final Act

  • Folder 11 Peace groups. Contains correspondence and script comments from peace groups, dated 1994.

  • Folder 1 Form letter and comments. Contains form letter each individual received when they sent a letter to NASM about the exhibition of the Enola Gay.

  • Folder 3 Scripts revision, early 1994. Contains comments and script revisions for January to May 1994.

  • Box 10

  • Folder 13 Press/Media. Contains newspaper articles, press re eases, drafts statement for release to the media, clipping summaries, memorandum on media relations, and other media related topics, dated 1993-1995.

  • Folder 5 Detailed Drawings (Final). Contains drawings of television kiosks for the Enola Gay exhibit, of the comment desk, and of exhibit cases, dated 1994.

  • 5) Dated October 3, 1994 - clean, interim version of the script without photographs

  • Folder 15 War in the Pacific script. Contains the Script for the War in the Pacific, dated December 6, 1994.

  • Loose: Contains print outs of a World War II discussion list, and copies of miscellaneous documents.

  • 6) Dated October 26, 1994 - clean master copy of October 26 version

  • 2) The Last Act - dated August 31, 1994 - with a press release dated August 29, 1994 and an explanation about the War in the Pacific exhibit with the pictures to be included in it.

  • 5) Unit 3 - dated March 31, 1994

  • Untitled

  • Loose and Folders 1-2 General Correspondence. Contains general correspondence with the general public dealing with the exhibit, dated 1994 to early 1995.

  • Folder 5 Proposals, 1991. Contains memorandum and reports concerning the proposal of exhibiting the Enola Gay, dated 1990-1991. This includes the possibility of erecting a temporary building to display the entire plane.

  • Untitled

  • Folder 3 Office of the Director, Veterans letters, #2. Contains newspaper and magazine articles on the exhibit, press release kits, and some letters concerning veteran's issues.

  • 2) Dated March 31, 1994 - Pages date from 3/9-3/31, Edited version, prior to Tiger Team review, as well as version sent to translator for first translation.

  • Folder 6 Public Programs. Contains memorandum and e-mail on planned public programs to go along with The Last Act exhibit.

  • Folder 15 Public inquiries and correspondence. Contains correspondence with the general public dated September 1994 - May 1995.

  • Folder 13 Unit 040. Contains photographs and negatives for Unit 040 of War in the Pacific.

  • Box 14

  • Folder 8 Secretary Adams/Heyman. Contains a copy of the January 30, 1995 press release, an update for the Regents dated March 31, 1994, and copy of Heyman's instillation address.

  • Untitled

  • Public letters. Contains letters received by NASM from the public concerning the exhibition of the Enola Gay.

  • Folder 14 Unit 050. Contains photographs and negatives for Unit 050 of War in the Pacific.

  • 4) Dated October 3, 1994 - marked with additional changes that were incorporated into the October 26, 1994 version

  • Folder 3 Script, Unit III. Photos of the restoration work being done on the Enola Gay, Script for Unit III dated January 12, 1994, photo copies of pictures for the section, exhibit floor plan dated March 21, 1994.

  • 3) Front Matter - August 29, 1994 - attached to script at the end of August, including a cover memo, press release, and concept outline and sample photographs for War in the Pacific section.

  • Folder 4 Contains copies of the Office of the Director's files dealing with the Enola Gay for 1992. Includes correspondence with veterans, proposals for an Enola Gay exhibit, and restoration updates.

  • Folder 3 Earlier planning. Contains internal memorandum concerning the early planning for the exhibit, dated 1988 to early 1994.

  • Folder 8 Pearl Harbor photos. Contains 3 photographs and negatives with captions of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

  • Untitled

  • Folders 7-8 Temporary Facility. Contains files about the possibility of constructing a temporary building on the Mall to house the entire Enola Gay. Includes blueprint of the site location (NMAI land), correspondence dealing with the possibility of putting the plane on the Mall, vendor brochures, a proposal by Flight Nest for putting the Enola Gay on the Mall, and information dealing with the Dulles extension which includes blueprints for the Space Shuttle housing.

  • Folder 8 Office of the Director, Japan letters, #3. Contains correspondence, internal memorandum, newspaper articles concerning the exhibit from 1986-1989. Note: This seems to be the same material at the beginning of Box 1.

  • Loose: Public letters, 1994-1995. Contains letters received by NASM from the public concerning the exhibition of the Enola Gay. January - March/April 1995.

  • Folder 1 Proposed spending for rush grant, Sept. 1993, Kicklighter. Contains filled in but unused Requisition for Supplies or Service forms for services and supplies needed for the Crossroads exhibition.

Pages

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Memorandum to Secretary Robert McCormick Adams, October 11, 1991. [Image no. SIA2012-0952]
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