JFK Presidential Library Launches New Site That Invites the World on Board Apollo 11 -- 40 Years Later

AOL and The Martin Agency Partner with Kennedy Library to Mark 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing

Boston, MA.- The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum today announced an interactive new website to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing and President Kennedy’s grand vision that made that achievement possible. WeChooseTheMoon.org, http://www.wechoosethemoon.org, will go live at 9:32 a.m. on July 16th, 2009 – exactly 40 years to the minute after the historic launch. The site, powered by AOL, will recreate Apollo 11’s lunar mission, minute by minute, with an interactive experience that lets visitors experience the mission as it happened, using archival audio, video, photos and “real time” transmissions.

The countdown to the online launch begins today at WeChooseTheMoon.org. People interested in experiencing the virtual recreation of Apollo 11 can pre-register to receive event email reminders and get regular “real time” updates during the four-day mission in July. Additionally, users will be able to follow the event on Twitter and through new AOL programming features coming at http://news.aol.com/.

“This site represents a unique opportunity for viewers to ‘go back in time’ and experience one of mankind’s most amazing achievements,” said Tom Putnam, director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “From actual mission audio transmissions and archival video to mission factoids and news reels, visitors to WeChooseTheMoon.org will be able to track every step of the Apollo 11 mission, as it happened, 40 years later.

“We’re incredibly thankful to AOL for powering the site and promoting it across their extensive online network, and for our 15-year agency partner, The Martin Agency, for dreaming up this inspiring concept,” Putnam said. “Students, historians and anyone who finds space exploration fascinating are in for a treat at WeChooseTheMoon.org.”

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration and supported, in part, by the Kennedy Library Foundation, a non-profit organization. The 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.