“Ready to unlock your dreams of flight?” That’s the question Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum poses. Wings Over the Rockies museum is more than just a collection of aircraft. It’s a community. It’s dedicated to inspiring visitors through its exhibits and educational programs. The museum has two locations. There is the Air & Space Museum and Exploration of Flight. Together they welcome around 160000 visitors each year. These visitors come from all 50 U.S. states and 34 countries.
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum started with a group of volunteers. This was after the United States Air Force gave them Hangar 1 in 1994. This hangar was part of the former Lowry Air Force Base in eastern Denver. Today the museum has over 100000 square feet of exhibit space. Here, iconic aircraft and space vehicles are displayed. You’ll also see artifacts and military uniforms.
Exploration of Flight is the museum’s second location. It’s about 19 miles south of the Air & Space Museum. This campus covers 15 acres. It sits on one of the busiest general aviation airports. Exploration of Flight focuses on aviation events and educational exhibits. It provides an immersive experience for anyone interested in flight.
Lowry Air Force Base closed in 1994. Then Wings Over the Rockies museum was formed using loaned aircraft. These planes came from the US Air Force Museum. In 1997 Wings Over the Rockies became Colorado’s official air and space museum. The collection grew to include spacecraft and civilian aircraft. A new entrance area was added in 2011. That year the enormous Boeing B-52 was raised onto pedestals. The museum now offers interactive experiences alongside historical exhibits. Wings is becoming known as one of the best aviation and space museums in the world.
In 2014 Wings Over the Rockies began building its second location. This is the Exploration of Flight campus at Centennial Airport. Exploration of Flight opened in July 2018. Then in 2019, the Colorado SKIES Academy opened. This is an aerospace-focused middle school.
The Air & Space Museum and the Exploration of Flight campus offer realistic flight simulators. There are awe-inspiring interactive experiences. World-class historical exhibits are on display. Wings Over the Rockies is now home to one of the best aviation and space facilities in the world.
At Wings Over the Rockies you can explore many exhibits. You can also schedule a tour. School field trips and youth groups can have fun educational experiences. You can explore the museum at your own pace using maps and suggested itineraries.
The museum preserves the history of Lowry AFB’s operations. These operations took place from 1938 to 1994. You can find this history in the museum’s collections and archives. The research library also has information.
Wings Over the Rockies offers STEM programs. These are for middle and high school students. They provide hands-on aerospace-themed experiences. The Pilot Pathway program introduces students to aviation. It offers their first free ride in an airplane. The Drone Pilot Pathway includes a drone flight course. It also offers training to earn a Remote Pilot Certificate.
The Teacher Flight Program encourages STEM teachers to become envoys. It provides a free short flight. The Technical Research Library holds over 15000 book titles on aviation and aerospace. It has extensive documents about Lowry Air Force Base history. The museum also produces a television show called “Behind the Wings”. It teaches viewers about the history and future of aviation.
So come explore Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Discover the stories of flight. Experience the thrill of aviation. Let your dreams take off.