| The
following article appeared in the January 9, 2004 issue of
Collecting the Ruby Slippers
of the Space World
By
Kevin Gale
Business Journal Staff Writer
Posted
January
9,
2004
Richard Newman owns
a video and DVD reproduction company, but he has a hobby from outer
space.
Newman collects
space memorabilia, typically signed by astronauts or
cosmonauts, including space suits, tools, test gear, control
panels and even a cosmonauts original Russian driver's
license.
"He has the
one-of-a-kind, the ruby slippers of the space world" said
Joseph Cytacki, VP of program operations and exhibits at the
Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science. "It's
the largest collections of Russian (space) artifacts that I've
seen"
Newman recently received
a picture showing cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko holding a sign
greeting him from the International Space Station.
As far as he
knows, Newman has the world's largest private collection of
space memorabilia.
Newman's day
job is as owner oh High-Tech Productions in Boca Raton. It has
been around for nearly 30 years and has a blue chip list of
clients including the FBI, Compaq, Boeing, Estee Lauder and
NASA. It does about $1 million a year in business.
Another endeavor
has been establishing science centers - 15 so far - which
includes parts of his collection plus donations by NASA and
other sources. The South Florida locations are Seminole Scout
Camp in Davie and the Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School.
Newman also
has part of his collection on display at the South Florida
Science Museum in West Palm Beach and will open an exhibit
February 14 at the Museum of Discovery & Science in Fort
Lauderdale.
The exhibit
coincides with the IMAX film "Space Station 3D"
which is narrated by Tom Cruise, Cytacki said. "Many of
the artifacts Rick owns are in the film."
For more
information, call (561) 750-7000 or visit:
www.HighTechScience.org
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