Seattle's Museum of Flight is a Must See!

For anyone who is interested in aviation, the Museum of Flight is a definite must see while in Seattle. It is located at the Boeing Field. Before I went to this place, I was not a fan of museums. After going here, I am.

First of all, the Museum of Flight is a nonprofit organization. The museum is intended to advance the education of the aviation industry to all who come through its doors. It does a remarkable job at doing this.

The docents are volunteers who usually have an aviation background. It is fun to talk with them, since they probably have remarkable stories to tell.

Also, the exhibits are set up so that they are easy to maneuver around. Everything is well displayed with placards and signage accompanying it.

The Red Barn is just too cool. It is the original building that Boeing started in. The exhibits in here take us back to the time of plane building, blueprints, and conversations with the founders. I can easily spend hours in this part of the Museum alone.

Then there is the newest addition to the Museum known as the 'Personal Courage Wing'. It brings together WWI and WWII planes with accompanying displays about pilots. There also is information about women pilots and their contributions during the war efforts. The videos are very entertaining and informative. Plus, the interviews with women involved are very inspirational to see and hear. I especially love the section about Ford Motor and its contribution to aviation. The entire Personal Courage Wing is phenomenal.

There are informative wall displays about Jeppesen (who currently is known for flight materials such as aerial-navigational charts- among other items). It is really interesting to see how he used to be a wing walker and progressed further. There is a display here containing a hand-written journal of his. Way too cool.

The Museum of Flight contains many collections besides Jeppesen's. Donald Douglass and John McDonnell are just a couple that come to mind. (Those two later combined forces to begin McDonnell Douglas). There is a Lear collection, also.

There is a section about space exploration. Here, there are display cases full of memorabilia from and about astronauts that definitely provide insight and hope. There also is plenty of information about the aircraft used and all that space exploration entails. It is something to see original space suits used by astronauts. That is part of this exhibit. I am only touching the surface here. (No pun intended). This are/section is just phenomenal to see.

Another area of exploration involves a 'flight control tower'. It is a mock-up of a flight control area that actually overlooks the parking lot and Boeing Field runways. This area contains various controls to help us understand all that is involved in flight control. Once again, it is just fantastic!

There is a Kids area for the young 'ums. There are usually learning games for them to partake in. Sometimes they can build biplanes out of candy and other goodies. Experiments are done to demonstrate aerodynamics and help kids get a better feel for flying.

Visitors can also partake of a SR-17 Blackbird ride. There usually is a waiting line for that. There are other flight simulations available, also. I just forgot all that is involved at the time.

The special exhibit room has changing exhibits. For instance, now there is one involving Leonardo DiVinci and all his inventions. Last year there was a replica of the Wright Brothers original flight machine. Visitors could use the simulator to get a feel for what flight back then would have been like. It was fun and informative!

In the main lobby, there are a variety of planes. Hanging from the ceiling (one of the coolest is a man using a gilding machine) are so many planes, you may end up with a neck ache from checking them out.

There also are a variety of seminars and speeches given throughout the year on various aviation-related topics. I remember seeing one of the original Rosie the Riveters talk about her experiences during World War II. Plus, I was fortunate enough to see Robert Morgan (from Memphis Belle fame.... pilot of the B17 during WWII) here prior to his passing away. He was excellent and entertaining.

Outside the Museum, there is a Concorde and Air Force One (used during the Kennedy, Johnson administration, for instance). Visitors can walk through both and gain more appreciation for all they were involved in. Again, way too cool!

Of course, there is a gift shop. I purchased a space age towel for $2. It expanded to twice its size when I added some water. Too cool.

When you get tired and need a break, there is an on-site cafe. The prices are kind of high, but the view is GREAT! Three of the four walls are windows with the runway in clear view. Do I need to say it again? Too....you know.

Oh, Father's Day is free for fathers. They also offer other free days throughout the year.

The Museum of Flight in Seattle offers so much; this article only skims the surface. This place is a must see for anyone even slightly interested in aviation. It is truly a marvel.

They have an email you can sign up for current happenings. It is called 'Flight Plans'.Check out the Museum of Flight's website at www.museumofflight.org for more information. 9404 E Marginal Way, Tukwila, WA. Or, call them at 206-764-5720