Museum of Flying facts for kids
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| Former name | Douglas Museum and Library |
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| Established | November 1974 |
| Location | Santa Monica, California |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Key holdings | Aircraft
Artifacts
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| Founder | Donald Douglas, Jr. |
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The Museum of Flying is a cool place in Santa Monica, California, where you can learn all about airplanes and space travel! It's a special kind of museum that doesn't aim to make money, but instead teaches people about the amazing history of flight. It first opened in 1974. After closing for a while in 2002, it reopened in a brand-new building in 2012. The museum especially focuses on the story of Donald Douglas and his famous company, Douglas Aircraft, which built many planes right there in Southern California.
Discovering the Museum's History
The Museum of Flying has an interesting past. It started in 1974 as the Douglas Museum and Library. This first location was on the south side of the Santa Monica Airport.
Moving to a New Home
In April 1989, the museum moved to the north side of the airport. It reopened with a new name: the Museum of Flying. Over time, the museum's collection grew. It gathered more than 50 old airplanes. Many of these planes were built in Southern California. Some of them can even still fly today!
A Special Plane: The Douglas World Cruiser
A very important airplane for the museum was the Douglas World Cruiser, named "New Orleans." This plane was part of the first team to fly all the way around the world in 1924. Its sister plane, "Chicago," is now at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.
Fun Events and Learning Programs
The museum hosted many exciting events. In 1999, they had "A Walk on the Moon." Seven NASA astronauts who had walked on the Moon were there! The museum also had popular programs for kids. One was the "A's Award Flight Program." If kids earned an "A" in any school subject, they could get a free airplane ride! This was a reward for working hard in school. The museum also offered other learning programs for both kids and adults. These included weekend family workshops and talks by volunteers.
A Temporary Closure and Grand Reopening
In July 2002, the museum had to close for a short time. This was because of money problems. But museum leaders worked hard to find a new solution. They made a deal with the City of Santa Monica for a new location. The project to expand and remodel the new spot cost almost $2 million. The construction was finished in 2012, and the museum reopened its doors!
Exploring Museum Exhibits and Features
The Museum of Flying has a large area for displays. It covers almost 22,000 square feet (about 2,044 square meters).
What You Can See and Learn
The museum shows how flight has changed over time. It also highlights how the airplane and space industries grew in Southern California. A big part of the museum focuses on the Douglas Aircraft Company and the history of the Santa Monica Airport.
Amazing Aircraft on Display
You can see about a dozen different airplanes at the museum. These planes show the history of flight from the very beginning.
- A replica of the Wright Flyer is there. This is like the first successful airplane ever flown.
- You can also see a Lockheed Vega. Both of these planes were featured in the movie Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. They were given to the museum by 20th Century-Fox studios.
- Large models of the North American F-86 Sabre and Douglas A-4 Skyhawk greet you at the front of the museum.
- A special part of a Boeing 727-200 airplane is also a highlight. This is the front section, including the cockpit. It was used by Federal Express for twenty years. You can even go inside it!
- The museum also has a wide collection of aviation art. You can see rare items and papers from famous pilots. There are also many old photos of historic planes and how they were made.
Special Areas and a Flight Simulator
On the upper level, called the Mezzanine, you'll find special recreated rooms.
- There's a copy of the Douglas Aircraft Company Executive Board room. This is where important decisions were made.
- You can also see a recreation of the office of Donald Wills Douglas, Sr.. He was the founder and chairman of the Douglas Aircraft Company.
- The Mezzanine also has a new Museum Theater and Screening Room.
The museum also has a cool Max Flight FS 3000 simulator. This simulator moves 360 degrees, making you feel like you're really flying! It has surround sound and high-definition graphics. It's the only simulator like it in the Los Angeles area.
See also
- List of aviation museums
