The Museum of Flight
Seattle, Washington
The Museum of Flight has numerous exhibits, galleries, archives, and interactive programs for visitors. If you have your own private airplane, you can even land at Boeing Field and park on the Museum’s ramp!
In the Museum of Flight’s outdoor Airpark, visitors can stroll beside some of the aircraft that have made America famous. See the original Air Force One used by several Presidents including John F. Kennedy; an original Boeing 727, the famous Concorde, and the original 747 and 737 airplanes. Best of all, you can board the Concorde and Air Force One aircraft as part of the price of admission.
Have you ever dreamed of flying an airplane but are afraid to leave the ground? Then check-out one of the Museum of Flight’s simulators and experience a full-motion flying experience. Ride with a group, or choose the X-Pilot simulator in which you take the controls for a smooth or wild flight at your discretion. (Simulator rides are an additional cost not included in the admission price.)
The Museum provides the unique opportunity for visitors to sit behind the controls of an actual SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane and an F/A-18L Hornet fighter. The SR-71 remains the fastest aircraft in the world.
Inside the Great Gallery, you can see 39 airplanes on display. At least half of them are suspended from the ceiling as if in mid-flight. In addition, the Museum of Flight has the largest aviation archive in the western United States.
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day when it’s closed. On the first Thursday of each month, hours are extended until 9pm. The Airpark is open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily between May 1 and Labor Day. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the rest of the year. Airpark tours are included in the Museum’s admission price.
Visit the Museum of Flight’s Web site at http://www.museumofflight.org, and be sure to tell them you learned about them on airplanes.com