Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Long name but such an amazing place. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta takes place every year in October when more than 700 hot air balloons fill the sky. This museum pays homage to the first hot air balloons and gives you a history of the airships that followed. The museum is named after Maxie Anderson and Ben Abruzzo; they were the first to pilot a non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1978.

Upon arrival you will be given a small introduction about the first balloon passengers, they were a rooster, a sheep and a duck. The first balloons were launched in Europe and mostly used for experiments, after that they were used for recreation.

Then you will be able to explore the museum and even climb inside a balloon basket to get a feel for what it's like to be in the driver's seat. They also have a virtual screen where you can fly and land a hot air balloon. It's a lot of fun to watch your kids fly and then try to land the hot air balloon.

Admission is only $4.00 for adults $1.00 for children ages 4-12. It is free for children under three. Make sure to visit the museum shop on your way out to find educational and wearable items. There are plenty of scientific opportunities for your kids and you will probably also learn about the history of hot air travel.

Each exhibit gives a history and some are even interactive. You can learn about hot air and gas and how they rise and fall in certain temperatures. There is an experiment to show you how a hot air balloon keeps rising and how it relates to gas.

You can see the first aerial cameras that were used in 1910 to take pictures of land with the view of a hot air balloon, this is how topographical maps were first made. You can stand on the Observation Deck which is sponsored by the Sandia Peak and Tramway. You can view hot air balloons in full display. It gives you a sense of how small the space was that transported passengers on cross country flights.

The most impressive exhibit is Airships The Big, The Bad, & The Bold. In this room you can view the history and tragedy of airships and how they were used during war. The original footage and audio of the Hindenburg crash plays and you feel a chill when it bursts into flames and crashes. The airships are on display in small glass cases and each one has a specific name. Because the Hindenburg crash is so historic there is the Hollywood movie poster devoted to it. The most recognizable air ship is the Graf Zeppelin and a Led Zeppelin display can be seen against the wall.

If you get tired you can always sit down and watch a video of the most current International Balloon Fiesta from Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can purchase a copy of the DVD in the museum gift shop. This is a great place to learn about hot air balloons and how they began flight all over the world and how they pioneered their way into history.