Home » Some of SFO Museum’s #52 Objects

Some of SFO Museum’s #52 Objects

As far as we know, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of just two airports in the country that has an onsite museum program accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the other one.)

Pretty much everything the SFO Museum displays in the terminals from its own collection or from a collection on loan is top-notch. But there are plenty of objects that never, or rarely, go on display. And lots of objects you might miss if you’re just passing through.

That’s why we’re delighted that for 2023, the SFO Museum is highlighting one “notable, unusual, interesting, or just plain fun” item from the collection each week.

Here’s what’s shown up so far.

This year, we’re going to highlight #52objects from our collection that we find notable, unusual, interesting, or just plain fun! Follow along using the hashtag #52objects! pic.twitter.com/4vPk2YZ2AB
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 4, 2023

Before people carried around cell phones in their pockets that automatically updated to the current time zone, airlines gave out convenient time converters to passengers on international flights. Have you been to any locations on this card?#52Objects #Timezones #TWA #AvGeek pic.twitter.com/wLliL46UVP
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) February 14, 2023

For the next 4 years, 90,000+ people signed up for a space trip and received these First Moon Flights Club cards. The card's back read, "Pan Am makes the going great: first in Latin America, first on the Atlantic, first on the Pacific, first round the world." #52Objects #PanAm pic.twitter.com/CjBLPFpq4R
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) February 7, 2023

There are more than a few inexplicable objects in our museum collection but this tabletop model featuring an aircraft on top of a walrus is one of the more peculiar ones. From the late 1930s, would this novelty item look at home on your desk today?#52Objects pic.twitter.com/yDCKIkZ1u6
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 31, 2023

An iconic airline livery collaboration between beloved Japanese brand Sanrio and EVA Air featured many themed amenities such as this Hello Kitty printed roll of toilet paper. #52objects pic.twitter.com/D4C5dy431S
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 24, 2023

San Franciscan Lincoln Beachey (1887–1915) performs in his biplane over the Panama-Pacific Intl Expo grounds in 1913. He was the first to perform a loop-the-loop in the U.S. and his repertoire of heart-stopping stunts made him the leading pioneer of aerial acrobatics #52Objects pic.twitter.com/jYrWmsqMS9
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 18, 2023

architectural drawing: Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco, Contract No. 1, progress chart for grading; 1927
Transfer from San Francisco International Airport
1997.52.001 #52Objects https://t.co/dEXu0tktcR
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 10, 2023

An unusual object in our collection is a disposable obstetrical kit. Although a rare occurrence, babies are delivered onboard planes. This kit includes a disposable scalpel, a bulb aspirator, and a receiving blanket among other things needed to deliver a baby. #52objects pic.twitter.com/1UK2ISGLVS
— SFO Museum (@SFOMuseum) January 4, 2023