Calendar of Events
N E W ! ! !
1911 Model B Flight Simulator
Fly over the historic College Park Airport in our new, interactive exhibit. Cockpit hand controls and state-of-the-art visuals make our simulator the ultimate Wright Brothers experience. Regular museum admission, plus $1 per person, per three minute 'ride'.
E X H I B I T S
All exhibits are free with regular museum admission.
Heroes of the Sky: Adventures in Early Flight
Sunday February 3 through Sunday April 20
It is hard to imagine a time when air travel wasn’t a part of everyday life, when the sound of jets passing over a house wasn’t as normal as the ring of a telephone or doorbell. But during the early years of flight, people looked at these creations with a sense of awe and wonder as they flew by. Heroes of the Sky: Adventures in Early Flight, 1903-1939, celebrates the first remarkable decades of flight through stories of the fliers, businessmen, and inventors who transformed airplanes from the novel inventions of tinkerers into sophisticated machines of transportation, commerce, and war. Using historic artifacts, documentary videos, graphic panels, and hands-on activities, Heroes of the Sky introduces visitors to the men and women who had the vision to see flight as more than a simple curiosity; to the barnstormers and record breakers who pushed the limits of what the new machines could do; and to the explorers who saw airplanes as a means of expanding our understanding of the world. Heroes of the Sky: Adventures in Early Flight, 1903-1939, has been made possible through NEH on the Road, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is brought to you by Mid-America Arts Alliance, and was organized by The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.
At the Controls: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Looks at Cockpits
Saturday, May 17, 2008 through Sunday, July 13, 2008
Some of us have seen the outsides of famous airplanes like the Wright 1903 Flyer, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, or the Boeing B-29 Enola Gay. But who, other than the pilots, has seen the insides of these planes? Featuring large-format color photographs of cockpits from airplanes and spacecraft in the world-renowned collection of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, this exhibition offers new views of 20 historic aircraft, including the Wright 1903 Flyer, Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, Supermarine Spitfire Mark VII, and the Space Shuttle Columbia. At the Controls: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Looks at Cockpits was organized by the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.
P R O G R A M S
Peter Pan Club
2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month, 10:30 am
Our fun learning club for pre-schoolers continues with aviation stories and activities. Groups are welcome with advance notice.
Spanish Language Tours
2nd Saturday of every month, 11 am
Tour the museum's gallery with a Spanish-speaking guide.
Veterans History Project
College Park Aviation Museum is participating in the Veterans History Project, a nation wide program documenting the stories of war veterans and civilians involved in war efforts. If you would like to share your experiences, please call the museum to set up an appointment for an interview. 301-864-6029
Speaking of Flight
Our seasonal Sunday lecture series highlights the past, present and future of aviation. Lectures begin at 2 pm. Regular museum admission is charged. Reservations are recommend, please call 301-864-6029 to reserve your seat.
April 25, 7 pm
Join Rear Admiral Edward L. "Whitey" Feightner USN Ret. and Colonel David Thwaites USAF Ret. as they discuss their experiences as fighter aces and answer questions.
Fee: $5/person
June 6, 7 pm
Dr. Thomas D. Jones, pilot, astronaut and author discusses his career. Native Marylander Dr. Jones' adventurous career involves piloting B-52s and after entering NASA in 1990 flying in four missions on the space shuttle. Dr. Jones will be available after to sign his books, Sky Walking and Hell Hawk! the true story of WWII fighter combat.
Fee: $5/person
Teen Aviation Race
Saturday, April 26, 1 pm
Teens are invited to race through aviation history at the College Park Aviation Museum. Teens will be challenged to activities as bomb dropping accuracy, learning all the Army officer ranks to building the perfect paper airplane. Be the first to complete all the tasks and win big prizes. For ages 13 to 17. $4 per participant includes museum admission.
Restoration Shop Open House
Saturday, May 3, 12 noon-4 pm
Take a short walk from the museum to the restoration facility to see the building of a reproduction 1911 Curtiss Pusher. Restoration Facility Manager John Liebl will be on hand to answer questions and explain the process of creating a museum-quality reproduction and restoration.
Military Appreciation Day
Saturday, May 17, 10 am-5 pm
Armed Forces Day is Military Appreciation Day at College Park Aviation Museum. Military personnel, active, Reserve and Guard with valid ID will receive $2 off regular admission to the museum. Military aviation movies will run continuously in the auditorium and children can design their own gliders between noon and 3 pm.
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