Next Stop…2070

A proud crowd of community members gathered at the Marco Island Center for the Arts on Friday, July 21 for the closing of the spaceship-themed time capsule that was created to observe the center’s 50th anniversary.

"It was our attempt at blasting off into the future while preserving our legacy,” said Hyla Crane. "It was launched on our 50th anniversary of the Marco Island Center for the Arts, bringing Arts and culture to Marco and beyond for 50 years. It appeared at our gala of 2020 at Hideaway Beach.”

 The creative time capsule is the brainchild of Jim and Allyson Richards. It was originally intended to be closed in 2020.

“Jim and Allyson made this possible,” Crane said. "This was really something that Jim orchestrated from start to finish, from construction. It’s something we've worked hand in glove with Jim on. And, you know, we're looking forward now to sealing it and storing it and letting people enjoy it. It's nice because at the Art Center, we have a lot of assets that change. We're running a theater. It's nice. There are a few pieces that are more permanent, and I think this space capsule is something that will be more of a permanent installation for people to come and see. And I think that's nice.”

Crane said people were bringing items to be included in the time capsule on the evening of the closing.

“People were bringing things in right up to the last minute,” Crane said. "So we will have to get the materials and make sure they are properly packed with a manifest that's ready. We have some digital assets that we are storing in a secondary place so that whatever happens, we have multiple ways that people in the future can access all that was recorded. All that was placed in there.”

Jim Richards honored the Apollo 11 astronauts who were landing on the moon on July 20 of 1969.

“One small step for man,” Richards said, “One giant leap for mankind,” quoting astronaut Neil Armstrong’s famous words when he took the first steps on the moon. "There were three gentlemen that went to the moon. Neil Armstrong, who said the famous words.  Buzz Aldrin. And then the last individual, who piloted the command module itself, Michael Collins.”

Richards said a signed photograph of Earth, titled Earthrise, taken by Collins, a longtime Marco Island resident, was inscribed by the famous astronaut for inclusion in the time capsule.

“For those of you in 2070,” Collins wrote, “your home. I hope changes in the last 50 years have been all to the good. ~ Michael Collins, Gemini X, Apollo XI."

Richards commissioned his brother, a master steel worker, to create the space capsule.

“We made this out of all stainless steel,” Richards said, "high tensile stainless steel."

The next move will be suspending the space capsule from the ceiling.

“It is its own work of art,” Crane said, "and we will be making arrangements for a permanent installation. It is the hope that we can make it appear to fly by suspending it aerially in the Art Center. It is, I believe, 500 pounds of steel. So we will need some engineering assistance to make that happen, but we're prepared to get that done. It's exciting."