The US Air Force ended the two-decade-plus-long UFO investigation known as Project Blue Book 50 years ago this week, deciding that, among other things, that no sighting or evidence had managed to “represent technological developments or principles beyond the range of present-day scientific knowledge.”
If you believe that, you may not be the target audience for the National Archives’ new exhibit, which will place some of Project Blue Book’s documents on display in the Archives’ East Rotunda Gallery.
Project Blue Book has maintained a spot in some parts of the American psyche, including a History Channel series named for it, and another, Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation, executive produced by former Blink-182 member Tom DeLonge. DeLonge has emerged as a somewhat unexpected expert on ufology. The Air Force still considers 701 of the sightings reported to it during the investigation as “unidentified.”
The documents will be on display from December 5, 2019, through January 8, 2020. The National Archives Museum, 701 Constitution Avenue, NW.
Correction: This post originally incorrectly stated DeLonge was an executive producer on Project Blue Book.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
