What Happened on February 20?

February 20 is when astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth — three laps around the planet! It's also the birthday of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

• 1872 — The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens its doors

  New York's great museum welcomed its first visitors in a rented dance academy building at 681 Fifth Avenue — starting with just 174 paintings. Read the full story →

• 1962 — John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth

  Aboard the tiny Friendship 7 capsule, John Glenn circled Earth three times in under five hours — a triumph for America's space program after ten postponed launches. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Ansel Adams (1902–1984) · Sidney Poitier (1927–2022) · Charles Barkley (1963) · Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) · Rihanna (1988) · Cindy Crawford (1966)

Days & observances

National Love Your Pet Day · National Cherry Pie Day