Situated at Boeing Field just to the north of Sea-Tac International Airport, the monolithic Museum of Flight is a great place to visit to learn more about the rich history of flight, all the way back to the Wright brothers’ first tests through to the final frontier of space exploration today.
With scores of aircraft and spacecraft on show including over 30 amazing vintage planes and an entire hangar crammed with aviation artifacts, the museum is a great spot for all the family which can occupy flight fanatics for hours. If you visit after 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month you’ll even be able to get in for free – but may end up wanting to come back for a longer visit another time!
The museum offers a truly interactive experience, giving you the chance to ride a flight simulator and even take a seat right inside the cockpit of a decommissioned fighter jet. Get on board the prototype car-plane, invented to transform a car into a mini-aircraft and back, or for something rather more traditional you can take a look at the Personal Courage exhibit celebrating aircraft from the two World Wars and commemorating the airmen who flew them. You can even go back in time and take a biplane ride in a restored aircraft if you think you’re up to it – suitably warm clothing is provided.
Once you’re tired out from the extraordinary experience of voyaging through over a century of flight history, head for the Wings Café where you can enjoy the view across Boeing Field and the museum complex. Don’t forget too that you can also take a tour round Everett’s Boeing Factory, located just under 50 kilometres to the north of Seattle.
The Museum of Flight is best accessed by car, only an 11 kilometre drive south out of downtown Seattle, with free parking widely available for visitors. If you’re visiting the city then you can also get on board the public bus out of the downtown area which stops right outside the museum.
