One exhibit consisted of the various layers of the Apollo space suit helmet,
including the "bubble" helmet itself, a lunar extravehicular visor assembly
(LEVA), and a gold-plated LEVA sun visor.
The accompanying sign reads
Increased Protection and Greater Visibility
The Apollo Helmet
The Apollo Pressure Helmet Assembly, or "Bubble
Helmet," connected to the neck of the space
suit, allowing Apollo astronauts a full range of motion, improving
visibility and comfort from earlier helmet designs. These helmets were made of
thermally-formed, shatter-resistant polycarbonate. To add protection against
heat, radiation, and impact, the Lunar
Extravehicular Visor Assembly (LEVA) was clasped over the Bubble Helmet
before the astronauts walked on the Moon. The A7L LEVA consisted of a
Betacloth-covered polycarbonate shell with two rotating visors, the Protective
Visor and the Sun Visor, and two Sun Shades, one on each side of the head
(missing on this example). The UV-filtering Protective Visor was worn down
while outside the spacecraft. The 24-karat gold-plated Sun Visor was designed
to reject ultraviolet, infrared, and some visible light. It was often lifted
temporarily to verify colors while astronauts made geological observations.
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