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The Sparta Space & Bike Museum | Know Your Wisconsin

February 29, 2024

One of the first men in space was born in Sparta, Wisconsin. Deke Slayton was an important member of the Mercury Seven group. These seven American astronauts were the first-ever chosen for the program. And now, this important piece of history is memorialized in downtown Sparta, at the Deke Slayton Space and Bicycle Museum. Alli Karrels, Executive director of the museum stated, “The Deke Slayton Space and Bike Museum is a wonderful combination. We combine everything into a progression of transportation, starting with bikes, going on to planes, and into space.” The museum has several unique artifacts on loan from NASA, including Slayton’s original spacesuit from his 1959 mission. This museum also features a moon rock, the only one in the entire state of Wisconsin.

On the more earthly side of things, the museum has more than 100 bikes on display, starting from bikes made in the mid-1800s. This is fitting as Sparta is known as the Bicycling Capital of America, with the first Rails to Trails Program in the country. The evolution of the bicycle and space travel creates a unique experience for visitors.

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