USSR Exhibition; New York 1959

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1959. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Booklet. Good. H-136-11. Format is approximately 6.5 inches by 8.5 inches. 15, [1] pages plus covers. Illustrations (photos and drawings--some with color). Clear plastic cover is peeling at the front. Some wear and soiling noted. The front cover presents an illustration of the third Soviet artificial earth satellite. The exhibition included ten sections: Industry and Agriculture, Science and Technology, Radio and Electronics, Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Optics, Transport, Public Education, Public Health, Sports, Construction, Culture, and Well-being of the people. The focal point of the Science and Technology display were the outstanding contributions of Soviet science to the study of outer space and problems of space travel. The display included full-scale models of the first three Soviet sputniks. Also, must display space was devoted to the successes and prospects of the Soviet Union in the field of atomic power engineering. The Soviet National Exhibition in New York City was the outgrowth of a new emphasis on cultural exchanges by both the United States and the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. In January 1958, the two nations signed an agreement designed to increase cultural contact and specifically cited the "usefulness of exhibits as an effective means of developing mutual understanding." At the end of 1958, both nations agreed to host national exhibitions from the other nation. The Soviet National Exhibition came to New York City in June 1959, and ran until late July. The focal point of the exhibition was Sputnik, the Soviet satellite that had gone into orbit around the earth in 1957. There were also exhibits on Soviet industry and agriculture, as well as musical and theatrical performances.