Star Trek creator's son shares piece of history with MIT Museum

Catch up quick: MIT unveiled the model at Future Fest last month and agreed to display it at the Kendall Square museum until next spring.

By the numbers: Richard Datin, a model maker, built the 33-inch wooden figure in 1964.

• It was used in the opening credits for the original series.

What they're saying: "It was the first character in Star Trek, before Spock, before Kirk," said Rod Roddenberry, the son of the show's creator, the late Gene Roddenberry.

• The model made appearances at San Diego Comic-Con and STLV 2026: Trek to Vegas, but this is the model's East Coast debut since its return.

Flashback: The model went missing after Gene Roddenberry lent it to the team behind the 1979 Star Trek film, reappearing nearly 50 years later in an eBay listing, The New York Times reported in 2024.

• After verifying its authenticity, the younger Roddenberry eventually regained possession of the model.

Its latest voyage not only introduces Star Trek to new audiences, but gives Trekkies a reminder of the sci-fi show's lasting impact, Roddenberry told Axios.

• "It's everything from helping people get out of an abusive relationship to believing in a better future to deciding to become a doctor or work at NASA, wanting to teach," he said.

The bottom line: The Enterprise will remain on display at the MIT Museum until March 28, 2027.