This was the first lunar mission with the primary goal of landing men on the moon and safely returning them back to the earth. The Apollo 11 astronauts performed scientific experiments and collected rock and soil samples during their 2 hour and 14 minute exploration of the lunar surface. During the Apollo program, which ended in December 1972, the United States successfully brought back lunar samples to Earth. NASA's Johnson Spacecraft Center, Houston, provides lunar samples to laboratories and institutions of higher learning for scientific experimentation and education. In addition to these samples, NASA provides a number of lunar samples for display at museums, planetariums, and scientific expositions around the world.
Lunar displays are open to the public.