Preserve the Past, Support the Future

Smithsonian standards involve precise casing requirements, careful regulation of temperature, humidity, and lighting, as well as the ongoing authentication of artifacts. Such authentication efforts were recently applied to one of the most important pieces in our collection: the “Moonshot” Lectern, from which President John F. Kennedy first challenged America to go to the Moon.    

In 2023, a Kennedy historian questioned the authenticity of the lectern that Space Center Houston received from Rice University, due in part to the fact that presidents travel with their own lecterns. While that may be true now, it is not always the case in the 1960’s. To back up his claim, the historian pointed out the absence of a distinctive black line saw-cut on the lectern’s lower portion, which is visible in film and still photography from the well-documented historic speech delivered at Rice University Stadium on September 12, 1962.  

These concerns prompted Space Center Houston to launch a thorough investigation into the lectern’s authenticity, which took place alongside customary conservation activities to clean and restore the piece after years of display. For this comprehensive restoration, our Collections team collaborated with officials from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Rice University, and the IBM Archives as well as Steve Pine, the Senior Decorative Arts Conservator for the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.  

Over a period of six months, the team carefully disassembled the lectern and its many parts, discovering a mechanism that could raise or lower the top third of the lectern to suit the speaker’s height. While this mechanism was no longer functional, our team was able to raise the lectern to a height that would have been appropriate for President Kennedy, revealing the black line saw-cut.  

As refurbishment continued, layers of wood varnish and thinned paint were removed until the lectern’s original finish was uncovered. Its distinctive wood grain pattern exposed, the lectern clearly matched photographs from the day of Kennedy’s speech, making it conclusive that the lectern is the historic JFK lectern pictured on that day.   

Once fully restored and authenticated, Space Center Houston crafted a new display case built to Smithsonian specifications, ensuring the lectern’s continued preservation for all to see. On September 12, 2023—the 61st anniversary of President Kennedy’s speech—the lectern was placed back on display alongside Kennedy’s inspiring words and the exhibit reopened with remarks by Space Center Houston President and CEO, William T. Harris: “This lectern represents a pivotal moment in history and serves as a powerful symbol of human achievement and aspiration. Its restoration and return to public display will allow us to continue educating and inspiring visitors for generations to come.”