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Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour facts for kids
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The museum's Gallery in 2006
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| Established | December 16, 2005 |
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| Location | 8415 Paine Field Boulevard Mukilteo, Washington |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Visitors | ~500,000 (2017) |
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| Owner | Snohomish County |
The Boeing Future of Flight is an exciting place for anyone who loves airplanes! It's an aviation museum and a learning center. You can find it at Paine Field in Mukilteo, Washington. This center is also the starting point for the Boeing Tour. The tour takes you inside the giant Boeing Everett Factory in Everett, Washington. This factory is where some of the world's biggest airplanes are built!
The Future of Flight center is owned by Snohomish County. Boeing helps run it. It opened in 2005 and cost about $24 million to build. The center is very large, about 73,000 square feet. It has a big gallery with cool exhibits. There's also a theater, a cafe, and shops where you can buy souvenirs.
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History of the Center
The idea for this amazing center began in 2001. Snohomish County and Boeing worked together on the plan. They wanted to create a special place to learn all about flight. Construction started in November 2004. The center officially opened its doors on December 16, 2005.
For many years, a group called the Institute of Flight managed the center. They had many fantastic airplane exhibits for visitors to enjoy. In October 2018, Boeing took over running the facility. When Boeing took charge, some of the original exhibits were changed.
Exploring the Aviation Center
The Aviation Center is like a big, interactive museum. When the Institute of Flight was in charge, there were many cool things to see.
Past Exhibits to Discover
- You could see how the bodies of different Boeing planes compared.
- There were videos and models showing how flying changed over time.
- Visitors could even sit inside a real Boeing 727 cockpit! You could touch the switches and controls.
- Giant working models of jet engines were on display. These included the GE90 and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000.
- Some real, full-size airplanes were hanging from the ceiling!
- You could learn how different parts of an airplane work.
- There was a special area where you could design your own airplane picture.
- The "How Planes are Made Family Zone" was also a popular spot.
Observation Deck Views
One of the most popular parts of the center is the rooftop observation deck. From here, you get amazing views! You can watch planes taking off and landing at Paine Field. You can also see the huge Boeing factory where planes are built. When Boeing took over, they started charging a small fee to visit the observation deck. Before that, it was free.
The Boeing Tour Experience
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The Boeing Tour is a guided trip inside the Boeing Everett Factory. This is where you can see airplanes being built! You'll see planes at every stage of construction.
What Planes Are Built Here?
The factory builds several types of Boeing airplanes. These include the Boeing 767, Boeing 777, and Boeing 777X. They also finish building the Boeing 787 Dreamliner here.
World's Largest Building
The tour also takes you through the main assembly building. This building is incredibly huge! Guinness World Records says it's the largest building in the world by volume. The tour usually lasts about 80 minutes.
Tour Availability
The Boeing Tour was paused in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It started up again in October 2023. During the time it was paused, visitors could watch a 45-minute documentary instead.
Shops and More
The Boeing Future of Flight has a couple of shops for visitors.
The Boeing Store
Right at the front of the tour, you'll find The Boeing Store. This shop sells all kinds of items related to the Boeing Company. You can find models, clothing, and other cool souvenirs.
Future of Flight Store
Next to The Boeing Store is a separate Future of Flight store. This shop sells more general gifts. You can find items from the Pacific Northwest region, including some local foods. There's also a small cafeteria across the lobby if you get hungry.