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The Museum of Flight Events in May

Museum of Flight

Free Evening Admission
Thursday, May 2, 5 to 9 p.m.
Wells Fargo Free First Thursday
Once a month, the Museum stays open late – and admission is free! Enjoy the Museum’s Great Gallery, Simonyi Space Gallery, Personal Courage Wing and more from 5 to 9 p.m., courtesy of Wells Fargo. Museum Store and Wings Café will also remain open for the extended hours on this night.

Family Activity
Space Day
Thursday, May 2, 5 to 9 p.m.
Space Day is an internationally recognized educational event held on the first Friday in May; the Museum celebrates during its Free First Thursday. The Museum’s education department will present a variety of fun, space-related activities.

Family Activity
Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop: Kites on the Fly!
Saturdays and Sundays, May 4, 5, 11, 12, 11 a.m and 1 p.m.
From delicate kites made out of leaves to large kites that can actually lift people into the air, the kite has played a role in aviation history for more than 2,000 years. During this kid-friendly workshop, participants learn the story of these incredible yet simple flying objects, then make and decorate their own kite to fly at home. Free.

Vintage Airplane Instruction
Boeing B-17 Bomber Ground School
Saturday, May 18, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 18-19, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Museum of Flight offers a unique instructional course about the iconic World War II bomber, the Boeing B-17. This “ground school” will familiarize participants with the design, construction, operation, and performance of the aircraft as well as briefings about the plane’s systems and how the aircraft is flown. The Museum’s restoration team will lead personal tours of the Museum’s B-17F, Boeing Bee. Sessions will take place in classroom settings and the actual aircraft. The course also includes a flight in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s B-17, Aluminum Overcast, during its visit to The Museum of Flight from May 23 to 27. Please contact Public Programs Manager Julia Cannell at (206) 768-7162 or [email protected] to register.
Family Event
Armed Forces Day Flag Ceremony and Celebration
Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Museum of Flight commemorates Armed Forces Day with the Navy League of the United States, the Air Force Association, and the Association of the United States Army. Family events include distinguished military speakers, a country music concert, and military equipment displays. The festivities begin with a flag raising ceremony in front of the Museum using flags of the five service branches and the POW/MIA flag. Active military personnel and their families (up to five people total) will be admitted to the Museum for free.

Family Activity
Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop: Hot Air Balloons
Saturdays and Sundays, May 18, 19, 25, 26, 11 a.m and 1 p.m.
Participants in this family program will discover what a sheep, goat and rooster have in common in the history of flight. Free.

World War II Bomber Rides
Experimental Aircraft Association Tour of the B-17 Aluminum Overcast
Thursday, May 23 through Monday, May 27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A Memorial Day weekend tradition continues as The Museum of Flight will host the Experimental Aircraft Association’s B-17 bomber, Aluminum Overcast, for rides and ground tours during the last week in May. The Flying Fortress will arrive on May 20 for a media flight, and will be open to the public May 23 through May 27 for rides and ground tours. For costs, reservations and more information, please call the EAA at 1-800-359-6217 or visit www.b17.org
Aircraft Fly-in
Cascade Warbirds Fly-in
Saturday, May 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visitors can view a wide variety of beautifully restored vintage military aircraft representing several nations’ armed forces from World War II through the Vietnam conflict. Operating under the motto “keep ’em flying,” the Cascade Warbirds work to preserve history by maintaining important military aircraft. Planes such as a North American T-28 Trojan, DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk, Cessna O-2 Skymaster, and a Douglas AD-4 Skyraider will participate in the fly-in.

Family Activity
Memorial Day Ceremony
Monday, May 27, Noon to 3 p.m.
The Museum of Flight honors military service with patriotic music and a ceremony on Memorial Day. Veterans and active U.S. Military personnel receive free admission to the Museum with identification. The Boeing Employees Concert Band will set the stage by performing patriotic music, beginning at noon.

At 1 p.m. Museum President and CEO Doug King will preside over a ceremony with City of Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton.

The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than 500,000 visitors annually. The Museum’s collection includes more than 160 historically significant air- and spacecraft, the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co., and the world’s only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 100,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum’s on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $13 for active military, $9 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. McCormick & Schmick’s Wings Café is on site. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org