A totally interactive flight
experience for young people, unlike any other in Wisconsin or the
Midwest, will open to the public on May 15, as the EAA AirVenture
Museum unveils its new "KidVenture Gallery" at its facility in
Oshkosh.
The KidVenture Gallery includes hands-on fun in every exhibit,
including simulators, more than a half-dozen separate aircraft
cockpits and many more exhibits. The 3,000-square foot gallery is
designed as a fun-filled way to increase young people's knowledge
and enthusiasm in the thrilling world of flight.
"EAA has the right combination of expertise, background and
facilities to make this exciting exhibit area a reality," said Adam
Smith, EAA AirVenture Museum Director. "As part of our mission to
prepare young people to enjoy the world of flight, we created an
experience that carries them into the sky. We're very excited about
this new addition to the EAA museum, and we invite all young people
to hop aboard and let their dreams take flight!"
Inside the gallery, young people will be able to take the
"Chopper Challenge" and see if they have the skill to keep a
helicopter airborne. They can make rocket fuel and discover how
chemistry and physics play a key role in flight. Visitors can also
find themselves in a hang glider sling or a hot-air balloon basket
and "feel" themselves flying over the countryside in front of
wide-screen simulators. There are also aviation discovery
activities suitable for younger children in the gallery.
The KidVenture Gallery, whose development is being supported by
the Emil Buehler Trust, will be included with regular museum
admission. The concept grew from the extremely popular KidVenture
area hosted for young people each summer during the EAA AirVenture
fly-in. Each year, thousands of kids enjoy aviation activities in
that area during the world's largest general aviation event. The
new KidVenture Gallery features many of those activities plus many
more, linked some way to aviation and featuring learning through
discovery.
"The EAA AirVenture Museum is already acknowledged as one of the
nation's great aviation museums, while our youth aviation education
programs are known as some of the most comprehensive anywhere,"
Smith said. "This new, colorful interactive gallery offers a unique
way to explore and enjoy the world of flight, creating a memorable
experience for our younger visitors and their families every time
they visit. Who knows? The young person who ignites the spark of
curiosity here may be the next great aviation or aerospace
innovator."
The EAA AirVenture Museum is located just off Highway 41 at the
Highway 44 exit in Oshkosh. The Museum is open Monday through
Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. EAA members receive free museum admission year-round and
family memberships are available.