March 19, 2026, TUCSON, Ariz. – The Planetary Science Institute is debuting a collection of space art by PSI Co-founder and Senior Scientist Emeritus William Hartmann, as well as other space artists, on March 29 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The William K. Hartmann Art Collection is free to attend on opening day and located at 1700 E. Fort Lowell Rd.

 

The Collection encompasses hundreds of paintings and more than 60 years of art that transports viewers across space and time to visit extraordinary landscapes in our Solar System and among the stars; from desolate asteroids, to the dusty surface of Mars, to the hazy view of Saturn’s rings from Titan. The collection also illustrates other-worldly lifeforms, crewed-missions to Mars and the origins of the Earth and Moon.

 

A subset of this massive collection will be displayed at PSI headquarters to share with the public a unique perspective on humanity’s evolving understanding of planetary systems and record the history of planetary exploration. Each painting captures a moment in time in our understanding of the worlds around us.

 

Hartmann’s scientific career spans more than 50 years and has focused on studying the origin and evolution of planetary systems and planetary surfaces. He is also a Fellow of the International Association of Astronomical Artists and has written and illustrated numerous books on planetary topics, often in collaboration with artist Ron Miller. His written work also includes textbooks, nonfiction and two novels. In 1997, he was the first recipient of the Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication, from the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences. Over the years, he has traded his art with other space artists to amass his collection of painted works.

 

“My scientific knowledge informs my art, to be sure, but I would argue that the opposite is true as well,” Hartmann said. “When I’m painting, I’m thinking about the entire physical world around me – how light bounces off objects, the angle at which a subject might be viewed – which offers me a different perspective when compared to my scientific colleagues who might look at a problem with only one variable in mind.”

 

“Art is a critical tool for expressing, exploring, and reflecting on complex ideas,” said PSI Senior Scientist and fellow space artist Jamie Molaro, who is also leading the curation effort. “It shines a light on how the process of observing and studying a subject can be both scientific and artistic at the same time.”

 

A planned gift – a seed endowment fund – has been pledged by the Hartmann family to support the maintenance and management of the Collection. The endowment will also support education and public outreach initiatives related to the Collection.

 

“The Planetary Science Institute is honored to house this Collection and to share the visionary art of Bill Hartmann with the Tucson community,” said PSI Director Amanda Hendrix. “Part of PSI’s mission is to share planetary science with the public at large. The Hartmann Collection – an intersection of art and science – provides a beautiful avenue for this work. Bill is a cherished member of the PSI family. We are thrilled to provide a home for this Collection, and we look forward to welcoming school groups and the public to come view it.”

 

After opening day, please check PSI.edu for information on Collection viewing hours.

 

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