Exhibition: Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age

In 1957 Russia launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into space and just four years later sent the first ever human – Yuri Gagarin. Discover the dramatic story of how Russia turned the dream of space travel into a reality and became the first nation to explore space in this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition.

Cosmonauts will reveal the most significant collection of Russian spacecraft and artefacts ever to be shown in the UK, including:

Vostok 6: the capsule flown by Valentina Tereshkova, the first ever woman in space
Voskhod 1: the first multiple-crew spacecraft
LK-3 Lunar Lander: a single cosmonaut craft built to compete with Apollo
a collection of gadgets that cosmonauts – and pioneering space dogs – need to live in space, including a shower, toilet, medical instruments and survival kits for crash landings.

Explore the historical, cultural and spiritual context of Russian space travel, shaped especially by the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century. See poignant testimonies and memorabilia belonging to some of the biggest names in spaceflight and discover the deeply personal stories of the pioneers who kick-started the space age.