The Mothership’s Stowaways
Mar 10, 2026
The Close Encounters model hides a universe of inside jokes.
Visitors to the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center can see one of cinema’s most famous spaceships: a huge model of the alien mothership that appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was released in 1977. Designed by Greg Jein, the model was crafted to convey a floating city, incorporating a level of detail distinct from the “pointy rockets and the undifferentiated flying saucers” in older science fiction films, “which didn’t have a clear vision of what the parts did or how they worked,” says Margaret Weitekamp, who curates the Museum’s social and cultural history of spaceflight collection. To achieve an impression of working complexity, modelers utilized a technique known as kit bashing—repurposing “bits and pieces and parts from existing model kits,” such as light poles from train sets, says Weitekamp.
Beyond technical realism, the model is famous for its hidden inside jokes. Nestled among the pinpricks of light are whimsical “Easter eggs” that can only be seen close up.
Tiny hidden models
-
Slide 1 of 5
This model of a bus can be found by looking closely at the model created for the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Model-makers hid joke items throughout the model.
-
Slide 2 of 5
Close-up photo of details added to the Close Encounters of the Third Kind Mother Ship Model during its construction. The model makers put together a complex model to convey an overall effect of a city of light. They used various train and other model kit parts and, knowing that smaller details probably wouldn't be visible in the final cut of the film, they added some inside jokes. One example is this R2-D2 which, as it turns out, is actually visible in the film. -
Slide 3 of 5
The tiny hidden smaller models include a shark (a tribute to Spielberg’s previous hit film, Jaws).
-
Slide 4 of 5
The tiny hidden smaller models include a cemetery.
-
Slide 5 of 5
The tiny hidden smaller models include a mailbox.
This article is from the Spring 2026 issue of Air & Space Quarterly, the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today. Explore the full issue.
Want to receive ad-free hard copies of Air & Space Quarterly? Join the Museum's National Air and Space Society to subscribe.
Related Topics
You may also like
Deep dive
Deep dive
Related Objects
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.
Support the Museum
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.