From the Wright brothers’ first attempts at flying to the space station miles beyond our atmosphere, Boeing’s Museum of Flight has all the information for visitors to learn about and experience simulated flight. It’s one of those places that my husband Jay and I have wanted to visit for a long time and I’m so glad we finally did. Since the museum is located just south of Seattle near Boeing Field, I recommend it for a summer outing. Don’t just wait until you have kids to take — this place is fun for adults too!
The largest gallery of the museum has more than 40 historic aircraft on display — hanging at different levels to make the visual quite amazing. It has several simulators for flying and one to experience the force of hurricane wind up to about 85-miles-per-hour.
Another building houses the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery, which includes a model of the Space Shuttle Trainer, a lunar module, astronaut suits and many displays. You can test your skill at landing the lunar module here.
Outside in the Airpark, you can go through the first jet used as Air Force One and the West Coast’s only Concorde, as well as the very first Boeing 737 and 747.
There is so much to see at the museum that you could go every day for a month and still not learn it all. But even one day is an eye-opening experience.