space age toys

Visit SFO, end up in outer space

We’re coming up on Halloween and the anniversary of the Orson Welles-directed radio show of War of the Worlds.

So it’s a perfect time to schedule a trip to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) just to see a wonderful exhibition filled with more than 300 classic space-related products ranging from the “fantastically silly to the truly visionary.”

Out of this World! The Twentieth-Century Space Invasion of American Pop Culture,” features everything from flying saucer toys, space guns, rocket ships and robots, to everyday household objects like air fresheners, sewing needles and packaged foods.

Take a look:

(Tom Corbett Space Academy Set 1952; Courtesy of Mickey McGowan, San Rafael, California)

(Robot and Son c. 1956; Courtesy of Mickey McGowan, San Rafael, California)

Out of this World! also includes four sculptures by artist and collector Clayton Bailey, who began making life-sized robots back in 1975 using pieces of cookware, vacuum cleaners, bicycles, automobiles, and a variety of home appliances.

The exhibition is located post-security in Terminal 3 and will be on view through March 14, 2009.

(Rex Mars Planet Patrol Space Tank c. 1952; ection of Betty and Clayton Bailey, Port Costa, California)