| Artist | Richard Lippold |
|---|---|
| Year | 1976 |
| Type | Gold-colored polished stainless steel |
| Dimensions | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Location | National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. |
| Owner | Smithsonian Institution |
Ad Astra is a public artwork by American artist Richard Lippold. The abstract sculpture is located outside on the Jefferson Drive entrance of and in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum.[1][2][3] The sculpture's title is Latin, meaning "to the stars."[2]
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This abstract statue is made of gold-colored polished stainless steel. Standing at 100 feet tall, the piece consists of a "...three-planed narrow shaft ending in a pointed tip, penetrates a triple star-like cluster near its apex."[3][4]
Lippold believed that "the characteristic art of our time deals with the conquest of space," with Ad Astra symbolizing just that.[3][5] In 2009 the sculpture made an appearance in the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.[6]