Smithsonian Institution
Ellipse Rd NW, Washington D.C., DC 20500, USA, Washington, United States of America
Exhibition information
- Type
- Permanent exhibition
The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age
Removed temporarily from its place of honor in Milestones of Flight, the 1903 Wright Flyer, the world's first successful airplane, serves as the centerpiece of this exhibition, which celebrates the centennial of the Wright brothers' historic flights. For the first time, the airplane is being displayed on the floor, so you can get a close-up, eye-level look at the historic craft that ushered in the age of flight.
The first part of this exhibition tells the story of how Wilbur and Orville Wright invented the airplane—who they were, how they worked, and what they accomplished. The second part shows how their monumental achievement affected the world in the decade that followed, when people everywhere became fascinated with flight. The exhibition includes many historic photographs and cultural artifacts, along with instruments and personal items associated with the Wrights.
Photo:
1903 Wright Flyer
Photo by Eric Long, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Text source
Image source
Exhibitions and events
America by Air
Permanent exhibitionFlying was new and daring in the early years of the 20th century. Traveling by airplane was rare. Airlines, airliners, airports, air routes—none of these existed. But by century's end, you...
Fifty Years of Human Spaceflight
Permanent exhibitionThe Soviet Union and the United States transfixed the world by launching the first human beings into space in 1961. Engineers and rocketry enthusiasts had planned such missions for decades, but Cold...
Activities from this museum
We don't have anything to show you here.
