Leonard Nimoy’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts is working together with the Museum of Science and Nimoy’s family to raise money for a statue honoring the late Star Trek actor, per a report from local news station WCVB. Nimoy was known for his work in the franchise and bringing the Vulcan Spock to life.
His iconic phrase “Live long and prosper” is one that fans of Star Trek often cling to, and the statue in question will be a 20-foot version of Nimoy’s “Vulcan salute” that he originated for the character and was made popular on the original television series and in subsequent movies. Local sculptor David Phillips will be creating the statue intended for installation at Science Park.
An online fundraiser for the statue is currently about 1% of its way towards its goal and has already raised over $12,000 since this reporting. Nimoy’s family also helps to run LLAP, a memorabilia shop that takes its acronym from his character’s iconic phrase, which gives a percentage of their proceeds to COPD research, the disease Nimoy died of complications from in 2015. The statue is not only a wonderful celebration of Nimoy’s place in our cultural zeitgeist, but it is also a nod back to where his career in the world of Star Trek started.
"The 'Live Long and Prosper' symbol represents a message that my dad believed so strongly in,” Nimoy’s daughter Julie Nimoy said. "My dad always loved Boston and he would be honored knowing that the Museum of Science would be the permanent home to this memorial. The sculpture not only depicts one of the world’s most recognized and loved gestures for peace, tolerance, and diversity, but it will also be a beautiful tribute to my dad’s life and legacy."
Not only would this be a beautiful addition to the Boston Museum of Science, but it would also be a beautiful way to honor such an iconic man. Spock means a lot to so many of us, and getting to see the Vulcan salute standing proudly in Nimoy’s own hometown would be a perfect nod to the late actor. For more information, visit the official fundraising page at donate.mos.org.