The Martian Museum was conceptualized in 2006 as a response to Burt Rutan’s lecture The Real Future of Space Exploration. In his talk, Rutan lamented the decline in excitement for contemporary space exploration and explained how this loss of cultural relevance has slowed technological development.

Considering his claims, it becomes clear that artists can make a critical contribution to space exploration. Artists are not scientists or engineers, but they are uniquely suited to generate cultural discussion and incite public interest.

Becoming interplanetary will be humanity’s greatest achievement. This leap raises fundamental philosophical questions with countless practical applications and cultural consequences. Art can serve as both a source of inspiration and a platform to shape these ideas, even before they can be practically implemented. The project operates on the principle that when we create an interplanetary civilization, what we build must justify the enormous effort required.

This is the foundation of The Martian Museum. It calls upon leading artists to inspire engagement in space exploration and provides a cultural framework to develop ideas for humanity’s future beyond Earth.

The Martian Museum will also represent a growing collection of artwork curated for the first museums of the Martian colony. The Martian Collection will archive the thoughts and values of the world’s leading artists during the early stage of interplanetary expansion. It is intended to become an enduring cultural record for Mars, a tangible connection to Earth, and a platform for exchange between the two planets far into the future.

In 2006, the idea of preparing a collection of artwork for the first museums on Mars seemed implausible. As invested as I was, it was difficult to explain, since the concept relied on the inevitability of a Martian colony. At the time, this future was not evident to the public. By 2020, largely due to advances by Elon Musk and SpaceX, a Martian colony became widely recognized as a likely reality within this century.

The next step toward the Martian Cultural Project is to assemble a core team of curatorial staff and advisors, plan the first projects, and secure investors. From there, the process will continue until Mars has a civilization of its own. We cannot know when this will occur, just as we cannot know what the future holds for Earth. What I do know is that since its inception, the Martian Museum has been a central focus of my work, and sharing this vision is the first step toward making Martian culture a reality.

‍Alexander Mitchell
‍Director - The Martian Cultural Project