On Thursday, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago unveiled a SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft headed for a permanent exhibit opening in spring 2023. This new acquisition to MSI’s collection is significant because it is one of two SpaceX Cargo Dragons on public display- a third is inside SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California.
A SpaceX Dragon is unveiled to the crowd at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago ahead of a new exhibit. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
Chevy Humphrey, President and CEO of Museum of Science and Industry, greets museum guests at the unveiling ceremony for a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
A truck carrying the capsule pulls the spacecraft into view of the museum crowd. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
A side view of the SpaceX Dragon reveals burn marks from reentry after its final mission to space. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
The SpaceX Dragon Capsule sits in front of MSI Chicago where it will be part of a new permanent exhibit in the Henry Crown Space Center. Photo: Michael Galindo/Sophie Sanchez 
MSI President, Board Chairman, and Trustee, are joined by Chicago Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar for the unveiling of a SpaceX Cargo Dragon 1. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
MSI President and CEO, Chevy Humphrey, views the SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
A celebratory bus accompanies the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to MSI. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
A view of the crowd overlooking the lawn at MSI as the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulls into the museum. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
The stage is set to unveil the SpaceX Cargo Dragon to MSI. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago 
A new backdrop is added to the facade of MSI to announce the upcoming SpaceX exhibit. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago
Guests of the museum got a sneak peek of the twice-flown capsule before it was moved indoors as part of a welcome ceremony that included MSI President and CEO Chevy Humphrey, Chicago Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar, and museum trustees and board members.
Addressing the crowd, Humphrey spoke to the museums legacy of preserving and making “pivotal pieces of history” accessible to generations of Chicagoans and guests from around the world. “Among those stories is the evolution of human space travel, its innovations, its struggles, and most importantly, its successes. MSI’s Henry Crown Space Center has helped expand our visitor’s horizons over the past several decades.”
“Now we have the opportunity to enhance the MSI experience by welcoming the latest innovation to space travel,” said Humphrey. “On behalf of the MSI community I want to express my deep gratitude for this gift from SpaceX. The spacecraft will undoubtedly spark the curiosity and creativity of future engineers, makers, scientists, and those who will create sustainable solutions that propel us forward.”
The Dragon spacecraft will join flown Apollo 8 and Aurora 7 spacecrafts, Frank Borman’s flown spacesuit, and the Apollo lunar lander Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong trained on.
C113, the series number of this specific Dragon 1 spacecraft, flew to the International Space Station for two cargo resupply missions SpaceX carried out for NASA. Its first flight for NASA was CRS-12, launching in August of 2017 and staying on station a month before returning to Earth in September 2017. C113 flew again to the ISS on a Falcon 9 rocket in May 2019 for CRS-17 before returning to Earth in June 2019.
Evidence of these flights mark the spacecraft in the form of burns and soot, and Humphrey explained that as a space artifact it would remain as is, “It looked really pretty when it was first made, but its gone to space twice. How cool is that? We plan on keeping it the way it is.”
The Dragon 1 spacecraft will be the centerpiece of a new exhibit within the Henry Crown Space Center that opens in April 2023.
Humphrey explained that through the partnership with SpaceX, MSI learned about the many jobs that go into creating opportunities to travel to space and how that fit with MSI’s vision. “Our vision is science discerns the laws of nature, industry applies them to the needs of humankind. SpaceX was so inspiring. This spacecraft is about ingenuity and creativity. It’s about opportunity and hope. It means everything to us.”
Related: Photos: SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Arrives at MSI Chicago
After the ceremony the Dragon spacecraft was moved into the museum, in an area that previously held shuttle and ISS mockups but is now dominated by black partitions. Museum guests can expect an experience that will tell the story of C113 and the men and women that dreamed, built, and managed it.
“We want to create an experience where people understand the wonder and curiosity of what went behind developing the SpaceX Dragon. We are going to tell its story, compare it to earlier space history, and talk about the future of human space travel.”
Once the permanent exhibit opens, it will be only one of two public museums in the world where you can view a flown Dragon spacecraft and definitely worth the trip to see.
Related: Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Welcomes a Flown SpaceX Cargo Dragon
