Ad Astra (sculpture)

See also: Ad astra (disambiguation)

Ad Astra is a public artwork by American artist Richard Lippold. The abstract sculpture is located outside on the Jefferson Drive entrance of and in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.^[1][2][3] The sculpture's title is Latin, meaning "To the Stars".^[2]

Ad Astra
Artist	Richard Lippold
Year	1976 (1976)
Type	Gold-colored polished stainless steel
Dimensions	35 m (115 ft)
Location	National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°53′18.99″N 77°1′11.45″W
Owner	Smithsonian Institution

Description

This abstract statue is made of gold-colored polished stainless steel. Standing at 100 feet tall, the piece consists of a "...three-planed narrow shaft ending in a pointed tip, penetrates a triple star-like cluster near its apex".^[4][5]

Information

Lippold believed that "the characteristic art of our time deals with the conquest of space", with Ad Astra symbolizing just that.^[6][7] In 2009 the sculpture made an appearance in the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.^[8]

See also

• Continuum sculpture
• Delta Solar
• List of public art in Washington, D.C., Ward 2