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Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium facts for kids
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| Established | 1998 |
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| Location | Tulsa International Airport, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Type | Aviation museum |
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum (also called TASM) is an exciting place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It's a special museum all about airplanes, space, and how we fly! You can find it right next to the Tulsa International Airport.
This museum has a huge area, about 19,000 square feet, filled with cool historical exhibits. You can also try out hands-on activities and see amazing old airplanes. In 2006, they even added a planetarium where you can explore the stars. The museum is also a great spot for school trips, summer camps, and groups like the Scouts.
Contents
Exploring the Museum's Amazing Exhibits
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum has many cool exhibits that show the history of flying in Tulsa. Let's take a look at what you can discover!
Discover Early Aviation in Tulsa
In a big area called Hangar One, the museum shows how aviation started in Tulsa. You can learn about the "Early Birds" who first flew planes here. There's a special part about Duncan A. McIntyre, who was a pioneer in Tulsa aviation.
Next, you'll see a smaller version of Tulsa's first airport building. This old building was designed by Leon B. Senter. Inside the exhibit, you can see parts of the original building. These include its fancy cast iron door frames, a special cornerstone, and cool terra cotta decorations. You can also see old documents and photos from that time.
Remembering Pearl Harbor Survivors
There's a special exhibit about the survivors of Pearl Harbor. This part has a touch-screen where you can listen to people from Oklahoma. They share their own stories about that important day. It's a powerful way to learn about history.
Tulsa's Role in World War II
The World War II exhibit shows how Tulsa helped during the war. You'll learn about companies like the Spartan Aircraft Company. You can also discover the Spartan College of Aviation and Technology and the Douglas Bomber Plant. These places made important planes and trained pilots for the war.
The History of Commercial Flights
Another exhibit shows the history of commercial aviation. This is about planes that carry passengers. You can see old uniforms, documents, and photos from airlines like American Airlines and Trans World Airlines. American Airlines gets extra attention because it has the world's largest private aircraft repair base right here in Tulsa.
Tulsa's Journey into Space
The space exhibit tells you about Tulsa's part in space travel. This includes both flights with people and without. It starts with the first "Peaceful Uses of Space Conference" held in Tulsa in 1961. You can learn about astronauts from Oklahoma. You can even try operating a model of the Space Shuttle's robotic arm!
Historic Aircraft on Display
In Hangar One, you can see several amazing old airplanes. One special plane is a Spartan C-2, which is very rare. There's also a Rockwell Ranger 2000, a Spartan NP-1, and a powerful F-14 Tomcat jet.
The small exhibition that is dedicated to the training of 42 technical staff of the very young Israeli Air Force in 1949.
There's also a small exhibit about 42 technical staff members from the young Israeli Air Force. In 1949, they came to the Spartan College of Aviation and Technology in Tulsa for nine months of training. Families in the Tulsa Jewish community helped them feel at home. After their training, they went back to Israel as certified aircraft mechanics.
Charles Lindbergh and Charles Short meet in Short's office in the old Tulsa Municipal Airport terminal
The museum mostly focuses on the history of flying in Tulsa.
Exploring the Universe at the Planetarium
The James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium opened at the museum in May 2006. It uses cool 360-degree high-definition technology. The dome is 50 feet wide, making you feel like you're really in space! The planetarium shows digital movies that fill the whole dome. It also has traditional star shows and hosts community events.
See also
- List of planetariums