The Art of Artemis touches down at Bush Airport
Houston’s status as Space City is on full display in new NASA exhibit at Bush Airport.
May 7, 2025
A new NASA exhibit is turning heads near Gate E10 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)—and it’s doing more than just showcasing space boots and lunar dreams. It’s reclaiming Houston’s title as the launchpad of imagination.
Titled The Art of Artemis, the display is a bold collision of science, history and contemporary art—delivering a powerful visual story about humanity’s return to the Moon and the next giant leap toward Mars.
At the heart of the exhibit are mural-style works by Houston visual artist David Maldonado—whose signature blend of street art and Mexican American folk imagery brings cosmic exploration down to earth. One mural depicts a Mars rover barreling across a red-orange landscape. Another mural celebrates Apollo’s legacy, with astronauts planting an American flag and the words “On the shoulders of giants” stretching across the lunar dust. Maldonado’s pieces don’t just decorate the space—they humanize it.
The installation features custom-painted high-top sneakers that combine urban street art with the science of space exploration and children’s artwork envisioning the future of space travel. Anchored by a digital tribute from Apollo missions to Artemis missions, it’s both a nod to the past and a call to the next generation.
“This is more than a NASA display—it’s a reminder that Houston has always been central to humanity’s biggest steps forward,” said Alton DuLaney, curator of public and cultural art for Houston Airports. “It’s personal for this city. Apollo, Artemis—it all points back to Houston.” The exhibit’s location is fitting. Terminal E sits just steps from the recently expanded Terminal D. Both terminals are part of a $1.458 billion overhaul—the single largest investment by Houston Airports since Bush Airport opened in June 1969, just weeks before Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon.
“There’s a relevance to bringing this to Terminal E,” DuLaney said. “It’s been over a year since NASA had a presence at IAH. After we removed the original display during the early stages of the Terminal B Transformation project, we knew we had to bring back this cultural collaboration bigger and stronger.”
The airport system’s commitment to visual arts is gaining global recognition. Earlier this year, the Skytrax World Airport Awards named the Houston Airports art program the “World’s Best Airport Art” for the third year in a row.
“We don’t treat art as an afterthought here,” DuLaney said. “We curate experiences. We tell stories. This new exhibit makes space exploration feel urgent and alive—and it reminds travelers that when you fly through Houston, you’re stepping through the gateway to the stars.” The Art of Artemis is now displayed in Terminal E near Gate E10.
