In the late 1940s following World War II, both science fiction and UFOs entered the mainstream in unprecedented ways: in 1946, the first significant sci-fi anthologies were released by major publishers, and a year later, the first widely documented UFO sighting was recorded. Amidst the Cold War and the Space Race of 1950s and 1960s, both the popularity of science fiction and the fascination with UFOs exploded. By reflecting the optimism and anxieties of the era, they became fundamental parts of the American popular imagination.

Drawing from the Rare Books & Manuscripts Library’s (RBML) collections, this pop-up exhibit explores the parallel worlds of science fiction and UFOs during the middle of the twentieth century, including moments at which they sometimes converged. Attendees will have a chance to see a range of unique materials, such as sci-fi pulp magazines, fanzines, and paperbacks, UFOlogy publications, mainstream periodicals, Star Trek scripts, and more. 

This event is a collaboration between Thompson Library Special Collections and the Mansfield Campus’s Bromfield Library and Information Commons.