Original 'Star Trek' Enterprise Model Resurfaces Decades After It Went Missing
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The original model of the USS Starship Enterprise has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the show's creator, after being missing for nearly 50 years. The model was discovered in a storage unit and subsequently authenticated by experts before being handed back to Roddenberry. He hopes to have the model restored and displayed in a museum for public viewing.
- ▪The USS Starship Enterprise model was missing for decades before reappearing in an eBay listing last fall.
- ▪Eugene Roddenberry Jr. expressed excitement about the model's return, recalling its place on his father's desk.
- ▪The model is made of solid wood and was originally lent to the makers of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' in 1979.
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| Original publisher | Smithsonian Magazine |
| Canonical URL | https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-ever-star-trek-enterprise-model-boldly-returns-after-decades-missing-180984247/ |
| Publication time | Sat, 30 May 2026 18:10:31 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-30T18:29:43.105Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-30T18:29:43.105Z |
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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Resurfaces Decades After It Went Missing The model used in the original series’ opening credits is now back with Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the show’s creator Julia Binswanger | Daily Correspondent April 29, 2024 ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source The Enterprise model had been missing for decades when it reappeared in an eBay listing last fall. Heritage Auctions Nearly 50 years after it went missing, the original model of the USS Starship Enterprise from the hit show “Star Trek” is finally voyaging home. The 33-inch model—the same one that appears in the opening credits of the original series—is now back with Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the show’s creator.
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