The Original Star Trek USS Enterprise Filming Model!

Adam visits one of the holy grails of film and TV prop history: the original filming model of the USS Enterprise for Star Trek (TOS). This 11-foot long miniature has been under the care of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where Adam and Astronaut Cady Coleman
visit the conservation lab to get up close with this incredible model and learn from Dr. Margaret Weitekamp (Space History curator and department chair) how it has been restored and preserved for public display!

Shot and edited by Josh Self
Music by Jinglepunks

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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman

Thanks for watching!

#startrek #smithsonian #props

[CannonRanger-]

I respect Adam's self control. The amount of time he keeps his hands in his pockets, behind his back, or folded tight around his chest is admirable.

[robertschmaltz]

I love the fact that the curator said (paraphrasing) "The Star Trek fandom owns the model of the Enterprise and the museum is just holding it." What a beautiful viewpoint and I greatly appreciate her dedication. What a wonderful person! I wish there were more folks like her.

[cowboyfrankspersonalvideos]

My dad who was a photographer for the Smithsonian in the 70's, was responsible for shooting photos of the model when it was first donated to the museum. He wasn't much of a si-fi fan so wasn't very impressed but when he told me he was shooting it I went crazy.

[informationwarlord]

As a kid in the 70s, I knew it was a model but I never expected it to be 11 feet long. I always figured it was much smaller. Glad to know it still exists and is being well cared for.

[poja]

Oh man the curator, I LOVE HER SO MUCH. The respect She has for her work, the objects, the fans. She is the model that should be use to mesure all stewards commitment.

[CaptainBobRockets]

I worked as a tour guide at the Smithsonian way back in the day. The first time I saw the original Enterprise model, it was hanging from the ceiling in a division called Sci Fi models of the future. It was amazing. Later, when I visited the Smithsonian again, it was in a glass case in the Smithsonian cafeteria. Such a depressing area to place this incredible model! I'm glad they're giving it the respect it deserves!

[glcol]

Seeing this brings back so many memories, and I'm tearing up. The 1960's were so chaotic and there was not much hope, but then Star Trek appeared, and it showed what the future could be if we straighten up our mess. I didn't give up hope then, and I won't today. She's a bonny ship and protected her crew at all costs. May she live long and prosper.

[veebeelights]

I love to see how much respect the curator clearly has for the model, but also for the makers who helped restore it, and the fans too. This is what you get when everyone involved has a real passion for the project.

[DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

This is one model that deserves preservation. It is LEGENDARY. This was for me the thing I wanted to see the most when I went to the Air & Space Museum. When I went back, it was no longer hanging in the air over the stairway, it was far down in the basement souvenir store. At least you could walk around it and see all sides.

[jfirebaugh]

Walking through the Air and Space museum is a Significant Emotional Event for me, every time. So much history and sacrifice. We don't give our Air and Space pioneers enough credit.

[KevinGrahamArt]

As an official Star Trek artist this is so cool to me. It’s funny I was originally a huge Star Wars fan but as soon as I started working on Trek art I fell in love with Star Trek. It was fun working on Star Trek Lower Decks recently

[bradleyj.fortner]

Just being in the presence of that would be an amazing feeling. That's probably the most iconic sci-fi prop of them all.

[NokoChan]

10 minutes into this video I realize I had been smiling the whole time (:
The amount of love from around planet Earth for that wooden object must be astounding.

[hyfy-trjy]

one context that so many people miss on objects like this is that this was designed to be filmed and then viewed on a CRT TV screen which has a natural blending quality to it on its own. Masters of the day knew this and worked with that facet to make their final image look right. This was also part of the early Arcade Game era where cabinets used CRT screens. Creators of games such as Pac Man knew that CRT screens would blend neighboring colors due to natural diffusion of the CRT screen and used it as an advantage not a handicap. This model takes advantage of those same native qualities of a CRT screen

[Caiburn]

I love how Adam is a fan of all great and influential film and not in one camp or another. Enjoying Star Wars and Star Trek. Seeing there differences and enjoying both.

[pfoster]

I have seen THREE Youtube videos on the restoration, and this ONE video shows more close-ups, more in-stories, and more JOY than all the others.

[johnosborne]

I love what Cady said! "You can't just be somewhere else. You have to get there." Adding it to my list of favorite quotes.

[ICNine]

My 25 yr old son happened to be in the room while the Star Trek opening credits were playing. He saw how amazing the ship looked on the planet flyby (~26 second mark) and thought it was CG and was truly amazed to hear it was a physical model shot on a soundstage! To be fair - it does look amazing!

[vampgaia]

I remember seeing that very model hanging in the museum when I was in my late teens. It was a moment I'll never forget. I grew up watching reruns of Star Trek when I got home after school. The show made a huge impact on me. It has been fun seeing the tech that seemed so futuristic then become part of my daily life, ie cell phone and iPad.

[jameshall]

I went to DC in the eighties on a school trip and saw the enterprise hanging from the ceiling. It was so amazing seeing the ship i grew up watching on tv just hanging from the ceiling. One of my favorite memories from that trip