Frontiers of Flight Museum




What do a “Flying Pancake,” a “Tiger Moth” and a “Recruit” have in common?

Each of these aircraft are on public display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas! This little museum is one of my favorites because I never fail to notice something I missed the last time around. It also does an excellent job of blending audio, visual and sensory elements so that all types of learners can find something that will stick with them.

Chance Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake"
Tiger Moth DH82A
Ryan PT-22 "Recruit"
The Frontiers of Flight Museum was founded as a non-profit organization in 1988 and featured aviation historian George Haddaway’s collection of artifacts and archival materials, according to the history section of the museum’s website. Originally located on the mezzanine level of the main terminal building of Dallas Love Field Airport, the museum moved to its current 100,000 square foot location on Lemmon Avenue in 2004.

Today, the museum boasts more than 30 aircraft representing military, commercial and general aviation as well as space flight. Visitors have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Apollo 7 command module, to listen to docents recount aviation history while in character as a famous figure, and to play in a real Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. Here's a cute promo video.

A few of things to keep in mind when visiting the museum:

·         A couple of the docents are also U.S. Military Veterans. It is absolutely fascinating to hear them speak about their own experiences, so you may want to call in advance to see if they’ll be in on the day you plan to visit.

·         The hangar style of the museum has a lot of open space, which makes the main exhibit gallery to appear to have fewer artifacts than it actually does. Make sure to wind your way through the displays lining the wall so that you don’t accidently overlook some very cool exhibits. Examples of some of the “hidden” or not immediately apparent exhibits include a video display of wartime newsreels, uniforms and information on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), and small theater in the World War II section. The commercial aviation section also features some neat behind-the-scenes videos.

·         The second floor is open to the public and accessible by stairs or elevator from the main lobby. Displays on the second floor include a section dedicated to Braniff International Airways, a gallery wall of artwork dedicated to space exploration, and an auditorium.

·         This is a kid-friendly museum! In addition to classrooms for various programs, the Frontiers of Flight Museum has a kids play area and a “birthday hangar” if your child wants to take her/his special day to new heights.

This "Wind Tunnel Laboratory" is an interactive display teaching kids the science behind flight!

·         The museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate and partners with the University of Texas at Dallas. This allows the Frontiers of Flight to display various traveling exhibits at different times of the year.

Frontiers of Flight Museum
A-7 Corsair II
6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas, TX 75209
(214) 350-3600
Flightmuseum.com


Frontiers of Flight is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is open year round, excluding special events, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days. Admission is $8.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors (65+) and $5.00 for youths aged 3-17. Children under 3 are free.

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