Take off to the Museum of Flight


The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum at King County International Airport (Boeing Field) south of downtown Seattle. It was established in 1965 and is the largest private air and space museum in the world. The Museum attracts about 500,000 visitors every year.


The Museum of Flight contains more than 80 aircraft, including:


  • City of Everett, the first flight-worthy Boeing 747 airliner. It's first flight was onFebruary 9, 1969.

  • The first presidential jet (Air Force One), which served in the presidential fleet from 1959 to 1996 and is open for walkthrough.

  • British Airways Concorde, also open for walkthrough.

  • The world's first fighter plane from World War I.

  • Unmanned reconnaissance drones.

  • The prototype Boeing 737.

There is also the "Red Barn" – in the early 1900s it was Boeing's original manufacturing plant.


The Museum also has a space exhibit: "Space: Exploring the New Frontier", which traces the evolution of space flight from the times of Dr. Robert Goddard to the present and into future commercial spaceflight.

Here's what you'll see:


The Museum of Flight in Seattle is one of the most impressive aviation museums you will find - it rivals the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum! You should probably budget a minimum of 4 hours for this activity:

 

Entrance to the Museum of Flight

 

The Museum of Flight is located at the west side of Boeing Field (King County Airport). Realistically, you will need a car to get the Museum.

 

Exterior of the first presidential jet

 

Make sure that you see the planes that are located in the Airpark outside of the museum (included in the price of admission). Most of these planes are open for walkthrough and they include one of the early Air Force One planes, the "City of Everett" (the first flight-worthy Boeing 747) and one of the retired Concorde planes.

 

View of the atrium area

 

The TA Wilson Great Gallery is a magnificent museum hall built of glass and steel and filled with aircraft from throughout the history of aviation. Numerous aircraft are on display, including the Wright brothers Flyer, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the fastest airplane in the world.

 

One of many displays in the Museum of Flight

 

The museum offers a fantastic overview of the history and future of aviation. From the Wright Brothers to the future of space travel, you will learn all about the history of air travel in a fun and entertaining way.

 

The Red Barn, Boeing's original manufacturing warehouse

 

The "Red Barn" was Boeing's original manufacturing warehouse. It is located right next the Museum of Flight and it is also open to tour.