The Smithsonian crowdfunds the restoration and digitization of Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit

Kickstarter has revealed its first partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, a group of research centers and museums operated by the U.S. government, that will see the cultural body crowdfund new exhibits.

On the 46th anniversary of when man first walked on the moon, the Smithsonian’s inaugural campaign kicks off with Reboot the Suit: Bring Back Neil Armstrong’s Spacesuit. As its name suggests, the initiative aims to breathe new life into the suit worn by Armstrong when he set foot on the moon back in 1969.

Courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum, the suit has been moved into storage to protect it, but $500,000 extra in its coffers would let the museum “conserve, digitize, and display” the suit for everyone again. Indeed, by 2019, the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the museum wants to return the suit to public display, while letting others around the world to analyze the suit close up via the Internet.

Rewards for your investment range for a simple thank-you email and project updates, which will set you back $1, all the way up to the “ultimate behind-the-scenes experience,” which will cost an eye-watering $10,000.

While Kickstarter and other similar platforms have emerged as disruptive tools for budding startups and innovators to fund their fledgling projects, an increasing number of established modern brands are turning to crowdfunding to get a project off the ground.

However, with a history dating all the way back to 1846, it’s notable that the Smithsonian has now embraced the power of the public purse too.