Taking Off At The Museum Of Flight
It shouldn’t be entirely surprising to find such an impressive aviation museum in Seattle this is, after all, the home of Boeing, founded here by William E Boeing in 1916. Get ready for an exciting jet-propelled journey through war, peace, space rockets and inspired engineering. The story of how we got from the Wright Brothers to the first moon landing in less than 66 years is powerfully told using film, photos, audio, words, flight simulators, and of course, a wonderful collection of flying machines.
Aircraft large and small are crammed into the museum’s hangars, from a ginormous Boeing 747 and a decommissioned Concorde to the tiny Caproni Ca 20, the first ever fighter plane, built during WWI. You can get within touching distance of a Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, the same model plane that Emelia Earhart was flying when she vanished over the Pacific, and walk through the Boeing VC-137B that was the first presidential jet to use the call sign ‘Air Force One’.
Some aircraft are originals, some are reproductions including most of the exhibits from the space age but they all contribute to an evocative journey through the history of man’s quest to take to the air. Look out for such oddities as Paul MacCready’s Gossamer Albatross, which crossed the English Channel by pedal power in 1979, and Aerocar International’s Aerocar, designed for both the airways and the highway.
Flying Heritage And Combat Armor Museum
This museum is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and every day except Monday the rest of the year. There is a fee for admission to the facility, and you even have access to a gift shop in case youd like to find the perfect souvenir once your visit is complete. Among the many airplanes housed in the facility are the Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat, Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, Bell UH-1B Iroquois, and the Fieseler Fi103 V-1, to name a few. You can contact them at www.flyingheritage.com for additional information on the facility.
What You Need To Know About Visiting The Udvar
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Operating Hours are 10:00 am 5:00 pm daily.
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Face covering policy: As of March 11, masks are not required to visit Smithsonian museums or the National Zoo. While it will not be required, all visitors who feel more comfortable wearing a face mask during their visit are encouraged to do so. The Smithsonian welcomes millions of visitors each year. We encourage visitors to maintain a safe social distance of six feet or more between households and groups when possible, but our museums get crowded, especially during peak visitation times. Visitors who wish to avoid crowds are encouraged to plan their visit during weekdays.
- Some artifacts will not be on view. Last year, a construction project to repair the roof of the Boeing Aviation Hangar began. This two-year project is still ongoing, and will be completed in phases. The artifacts positioned under the section that is being worked on will be covered for protection.
- Download a Museum floor plan. This will help you navigate the Museum.
- Dress comfortably.
- Minimize your carry-ons. All bags will continue to be checked.
- Water is permitted in the Museum and we have water bottle filling stations located in the building. All other food and beverages must be consumed outside.
The Museum in Washington, DC is currently closed for reservations.
If you can’t visit in person, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum invites you to explore their Air and Space Anywhere digital portal from the comfort of your own home.
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Honor Point Military & Aerospace Museum
This museum is open Thursday through Sunday and can be contacted by calling 509-244-0244. A few of their many aircraft include the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, Stearman C3D, Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, and the Canadair CL-13A Sabre 5, among others. You can get additional information by visiting them online at .
Future Of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour
Boeing tours are offered every hour, on the hour, starting at 9:00 a.m., and the facility is open every day of the year most of the time. In addition to aircraft, they also house landing gear, engines, and various models, and their collection of planes includes the Rutan Quickie, Beech Starship 2000A, Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair III, and the Diamond HK-36TTC Super Dimona, to name a few. You can also visit their website at www.futureofflight.org.
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Pby Memorial Foundation Naval Heritage Center
Open Wednesday through Sunday, the facility has a gift shop and commemorates all wars starting with World War II through today. It promises to both educate and entertain, so if youre a history or aviation buff, this is the place to be. You can find out additional information by visiting their website at www.pbymf.org.
National Air And Space Museum Receives $30 Million From Boeing
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Largest Corporate Donation to Smithsonian Will Fund Major Renovation
The Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum announced that Boeing is donating $30 million to support the museums educational activities and exhibitions, including an extensive renovation of its main hall, Milestones of Flight. It will be completed in time for the museums 40th anniversary in 2016, which is also the aerospace companys 100th anniversary. The expanded exhibition will trace the interconnected stories of the worlds most significant aircraft and spacecraft, with digital displays and a mobile experience in a new design that stretches from one entrance to the other, Independence Avenue to Jefferson Drive .
We are grateful to Boeing for this magnificent contribution, said Museum Director Gen. J.R. Jack Dailey. It will enable us to create an exciting new exhibition concept inspired by innovators, from the Wright brothers to todays space explorers, and to develop educational experiences for generations of innovators to come.
Were honored to help preserve the legacy of pioneers who transformed an industry and influenced generations of innovators, said Boeing Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney. By supporting the National Air and Space Museum with the renovation and expansion of the gallery, we hope to inspire others to dream, design and build the next game changers in aerospace history.
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North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum
The museum is open on different days depending on the season, and it houses dozens of aircraft. This includes the Ryan ST-A Special, Luscombe 8A, Piper PA-22-108 Colt, and the Cessna 150-J, among others. You can find out more about the facility by visiting their website at or by calling them at 360-770-4848. There is a nominal fee for visiting this museum.
Mcallister Museum Of Aviation
The museum is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it houses aircraft such as the Stinson Model 108 Voyager, Boeing 40C, Marquart Charger MA-5, and the Carbon Cub FX, among others. You can get additional information on the museum by going to www.mcallistermuseum.org or by calling them at 509-457-4933.
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Fly High At The National Air And Space Museum’s Steven F Udvar
I feel like a kid in a candy store. That’s what one young visitor said as he walked into the Boeing Aviation Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. No matter which location you’re visiting, it’s hard not to be amazed.
Located in Chantilly, Virginia, the Center’s vast exhibition space displays the iconic giants of aviation and space exploration, including: Space Shuttle Discovery, a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, an Air France Concorde, and the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, and spans from 18th Century early ballooning to the record-setting high-altitude free-fall jumps of recent years.
The Museum is also a working restoration and conservation center and visitors can see the projects underway in the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar.
The Center’s Airbus IMAX Theater has the largest screen in northern Virginia. It shows short films that are connected to the Museum’s connection during public hours and often has Hollywood features on screen in the evenings. Open Wednesday – Sunday. Showtimes, tickets, and details at si.edu/theaters.
The museum is open daily from 10 00 am – 5:30 pm. Admission is free, parking is $15/car . Public transportation is available via Fairfax Connector at the Wiehle/Reston East Metro station and Dulles Airport.
All visitors ages 2 and over are required wear a face covering while inside the museum.
Amenities
This Exhibition Celebrates Some Of The Most Significant Airplanes Rockets And Spacecraft In History They Tell Tales Of Ingenuity And Courage War And Peace Politics And Power As Well As Society And Culture These Milestones Have Made Our Planet Smaller And The Universe Larger
Among the achievements celebrated here: Charles Lindbergh’s solo trip across the Atlantic in his Spirit of St. Louis the first American jet aircraft, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet the Bell X-1 in which “Chuck” Yeager first broke the mythical “sound barrier ” the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 flown by John Glenn Mariner, Pioneer, and Viking planetary explorers and the first privately-developed, piloted vehicle to reach space, SpaceShipOne.
As you explore, ask yourself, How have aviation and spaceflight transformed my world?
In preparation for the large-scale renovation of the museum, some of the artifacts will be removed from this gallery during fall 2021 and winter 2022.
Location in Museum
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Aviation Museums In Washington State
If youre an airplane or history buff, you definitely owe it to yourself to visit a good aviation museum in the state of Washington. Not only are these facilities great places to learn, but they provide a lot of hands-on fun and activities that will make each visit a little different. They provide hundreds of artifacts for you to enjoy that always includes numerous aircraft that you can get up close and personal with.
The airline giant Boeing got its start in Washington State in 1916, but they arent the only aerospace firms in the state. Others include AIM Aerospace, SpaceX, Safran, Aviation Technical Services, and Astronics, to name a few.
In fact, the state offers various tax breaks and incentives for aerospace companies that wish to set up and do business there, making it even more attractive for these businesses to come to the state.
If youre interested in visiting a great aerospace and aviation museum, youre in luck because Washington State has a total of 16 of these facilities.
Not only do they house some of the most significant aircraft in American history, but they each offer hundreds of artifacts that include everything from old photographs to military uniforms, and everything in between. Keep reading for a more detailed description of each of these museums.
The Museum Of Flight Restoration Center
Open either two or three days a week depending on the season, this museum is home to dozens of aircraft, including the Task Silhouette, Lockheed P-80C Shooting Star, Bell UH-1H Iroquois, and the Bowers Flybaby prototype, among others. You can get additional details by visiting their website at .
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National Air And Space Museum Steven F Udvar
Wow! That’s a common statement from visitors when they enter the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Located near Washington Dulles International Airport, the Udvar-Hazy Center is a must-see destination in Fairfax County.
The museum’s massive exhibit spaces make it easy to social distance, while taking in some pretty amazing sites. The Boeing Aviation Hangar has nearly 200 aircraft on display, including an Air France Concorde, the last remaining World War I-era Sopwith Camel that was built by the Sopwith Company, the largest collections of Japanese and German World War II aircraft in the world, helicopters, commercial and private airplanes, and more.
Any “space geek” that steps into the McDonnell Space Hangar will feel like a kid in a candy store when they get up close to the Center’s collection of space artifacts, including Space Shuttle Discovery, the Apollo 11 Mobile Quarantine Facility, space suits, rockets, satellites, and space toys (just to mention a few things.The Museum also has a restoration hangar with an overlook for watching the conservation work underway on a number of artifacts, including the B-26 Maurader Flak Bait, which flew more missions than any other American plane during World War II.
The Udvar-Hazy Center is open daily from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please visit their website for additional information on visiting.
Boeing Future Of Flight Is Open
We welcome guests to our Gallery, Sky Deck, and Boeing Store. The Boeing Factory Tour is currently closed.
Join us for our newest experience Boeing Backstage Pass The Everett Factory at Boeing Future of Flight. For details and Tickets .
Face Coverings and Physical Distancing are not required at Boeing Future of Flight. Masks still available upon request at Ticketing Desk.
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Future Of Flight And Boeing Tour
Located on the northwest corner of Paine Field, the Future of Flight offers tours of the Boeing Factory the worlds largest building. Tourists can design their own airplane and pose for a once-in-a-lifetime photo with the Boeing assembly plant in the background. Watch commercial jets such as 747s, 777s and 787 Dreamliner jets being assembled. The aviation center also offers science-based summer camps for kids: perfect for future engineers.
The Aviation Museum Guide
It’s always good practice to call ahead or visit the business’ website to check updated hours. Be patient, be kind, stay healthy.
No place on earth does airplanes like Everett. Want us to prove it? Sure thing, friend. In Everett, you can see the latest in aerospace tech, the worlds largest building and painstaking-restored vintage aircraft all in a day.
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Museum Of Flight Restoration Center And Reserve Collection
Aviation buffs rejoice at the Flight Restoration Center. See a working 23,000-square-foot hangar where a team of volunteers lovingly restore vintage aircraft. Visitors can watch as planes are painstakingly repaired in front of them. Admission is free for kids under four and a small fee is required for kids five to 17 and adults.
Museum Of Flight Library And Archives
The Harl V. Brackin Library at the Museum of Flight was founded in 1985. As of 2011, it contains 66,000 books and subscribes to 100 periodicals. It specializes in aerospace and aviation. There is also an online catalog.
The Museum of Flight Archives is accessible to the public via the Kenneth H. Dalhberg Aviation Research Center. It includes millions of photographs and thousands of linear feet of manuscript materials. Highlights of the collections include the Gordon S. Williams photographic collection, the Peter M. Bowers Photographic Collection, the David D. Hatfield Aviation History Collection, the Norm Taylor Photographic Collection, the Elrey B. Jeppesen Aviation History and Navigation Collection, the American Fighter Aces Association Archives, the Lear Corporation Archives, and the Wright Airplane Company Collection.
In December 2017, the Archives launched a digital repository. The site features digitized materials from archival, library, and artifact collections. In April 2019 the Archives began to make archival collections available and searchable online.
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