Logan Airport, JFK Library Collaborate on Display Highlighting Innovation in New England

For Immediate Release: December 11, 2014
Media Contact: Rachel Flor (617) 514-1662, rachel.flor@jfklfoundation.org
www.jfklibrary.org

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is proud to host a new multimedia installation in cooperation with the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. “Invention, Innovation, Imagination,” a visual and audio experience for travelers to and from New England at Boston Logan International Airport, is located in Terminal A. It includes wall graphics celebrating the innovation economy in New England by highlighting native son John F. Kennedy's challenge that launched America on the race to the moon, and the many contemporary innovations that resulted from the U.S. Space Program. The presentation also features audio of President Kennedy's famous speech challenging the nation to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.

This installation is one piece in a three-phase collaboration with the JFK Library Foundation at Logan. Plans for future installations include visuals designed to encourage children to become interested in science and volunteerism, and an installation highlighting President Kennedy’s call for global citizenship. The Foundation is working with its pro bono advertising firm, The Martin Agency, to design the installations.

Click here to download the press kit.

“This exhibit fits perfectly into our design for Logan Airport and is a great honor to President Kennedy’s legacy,” Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn said. “Our public art program at Massport is aimed at stimulating passengers and providing a sense of place. This exhibit reminds us how President Kennedy motivated the nation to push the limits of science and technology. That motivation has continued ever since with great results here in Massachusetts.” 

"John F. Kennedy declared ‘I believe the times demand new invention, innovation, imagination’ when he accepted the nomination for the presidency, setting the stage for his investment in jumpstarting technological progress with the space program,” said Heather Campion, CEO of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. "Not only did his challenge to Americans and stewardship of the Space Program land a man on the moon in just eight years, but it resulted in several significant scientific advancements that are staples to us today, including GPS, protective firefighting gear and our ability to harness solar energy. We are grateful to Massport for partnering with us to celebrate these achievements and the innovative spirit that has always been central to the fabric of Massachusetts."

The U.S. space program went into high gear in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to claim a leadership role in space. President Kennedy was convinced that with a strong commitment, America could get to the moon before the Soviet Union, the country's rival in the Cold War and the Space Race. On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy appealed to the Americans' spirit of adventure, to patriotic pride, and to the cause of freedom, saying: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.” 

America responded with one of the greatest mobilizations of resources and manpower in U.S. history. Eight years later, on July 20, 1969, two American astronauts walked on the Moon. It was a stunning achievement that boosted American confidence and prestige at home and around the world. Additionally, the unprecedented investment in science and technology through the NASA space program resulted in over 1,500 innovations that are essential to modern life, including those featured in the new "Invention, Innovation, Imagination" installation: GPS, anti-icing systems, firefighter gear, infrared ear thermometer, memory foam, LED lights, the space blanket, and our ability to harness solar energy.

About the Logan International Airport Public Art Program
The Boston Logan International Airport Public Art Program is dedicated to enhancing the air travel experience of our customers. The Program’s purpose is to create and manage exhibitions that refine the airport environment while supporting local artists and institutions. By creating an ambiance in the airport that reflects the sophistication and cultural diversity of the City of Boston, the region of New England, and the world at large, we aim to educate, inspire and entertain all Logan visitors. The program includes permanent installations as well as rotating exhibitions and community art.

About the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation provides financial support, staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the Kennedy Library Foundation seek to promote, through educational and community programs, a greater appreciation and understanding of American politics, history, and culture, the process of governing and the importance of public service.

About Boston Logan International Airport
Boston Logan, a short distance from the intersection of Route 128 and I-90 and five minutes from downtown Boston, serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 75 domestic and 42 international destinations and in 2013 handled 30.2 million passengers. Boston Logan is served by two public transit lines and is the Air Line Pilot Association’s Airport of the Year for 2008 because of its commitment to safety. Over the past decade, the airport spent $4.5 billion on a modernization program that includes new terminals, public transportation access, parking facilities, roadways and airport concessions, and has been transformed into a world-class 21st Century facility. The airport generates $8 billion in total economic impact each year. 

You can find more information about Boston Logan International Airport on Facebook at facebook.com/bostonlogan and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/bostonlogan.

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $8 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities. For more information please visit massport.com.
###