Space by Mail

The history of space exploration told through postcards — as part of everyday culture and the human experience of the twentieth century.

“Space by Mail” is a virtual exhibition dedicated to the history of space exploration told through postcards.

The project shows how space entered people’s everyday lives — not only through scientific discoveries and the achievements of cosmonauts, but also through mass visual culture, holiday postcards, and personal correspondence.

Here, postcards become historical documents: they preserve the images, emotions, and perceptions of their era — from the first space flights to dreams about the future.

Exhibition Concept

In the twentieth century, space was not only a scientific achievement but also part of everyday culture. It appeared in greeting cards, illustrations, children’s fantasies, and the visual language of the era. In this exhibition, space is presented as:

• a symbol of the future;
• part of mass culture;
• an element of people’s personal experience.

Through postcards, we see not only the history of space exploration, but also how people experienced it.

The virtual exhibition was presented at the International Competition of Educational Excellence dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space, “Human — Space — Universe”, where it received a First Degree Diploma, and it was also included in the methodological materials collection of the ANO “NOC Pedproektov”.