The Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum is located in the center of Alaska in Anchorage and is dedicated to providing education about aircrafts in the northern State. Since its opening in 1988 the mission of the institution has been to display, honor, and preserve the aviation heritage through displaying aircrafts. Focusing mainly on Bush flying, the World War II army base on Adak Island, and the development of aviation the museum tells the story of Alaska. Situated in an ideal location to watch aviation due to its proximity to the Ted Stevens International Airport and its spot on the shore of Lake Hood, take offs and landings can constantly be seen from the museum. Lake Hood has more than 87, 000 takeoffs and landings per year, making it the busiest seaplane base in the world. Within the institution, rich with aviation history, there are many interactive displays, photographs, films, and artifacts. As a fundamental part to the development of the state due to the locations between the northern cities, the museum is tasked with the job of connecting visitors to the past.
Within in the Alaska Aviation Museum there are over 30 different aircrafts on display that range from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. Along with the aircrafts there are 2 theatres, flight simulators, a restoration hangar, and a Hall of Fame. These aircrafts all tell the story of the development of the state through the use of bush planes throughout 50 years. Some of the aircrafts showcased are the 1928 Stearman C2B N5415, the 1934 WACO YKC S/N 3991, the 1963 Helicopter, and the 1974 Mcdonald Douglas. The 1928 Stearman C2B N5415 is the oldest aircraft in the museum, the aircraft arrived in Alaska in 1929 and was flow by many aviation heroes; this plane even conducted a rescue mission on Mount McKinley. Various pilot companies in Alaska such as Petersburg Air Service and Ellis Air Transport used the 1934 WACO YKC S/N 3991 aircraft on display during the 1930s. The 1963 Helicopter was part of the war in Vietnam and completed three tours, after it served as a part of the Alaska National Guard. The newest aircraft on display is the 1974 Mcdonald Douglas, this high-performance, twin-engine, fighter jet first was flown in 1972. In 1974 the Mcdonald Douglas airplane became a part of the United States Air Force because of its advanced systems to detect, track, and attack enemy aircrafts. After the museum received the airplane in 2008 it became a Ground Instructional Training Aircraft in Alaska.
The museum is dedicated to providing knowledge to its visitors through a variety of festivals and educational programs. The Science Festivals, Docent-led Tour, and Self-guided Museum Exploration are was of engaging museumgoers with a more interactive visit to the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum. The Science Festivals offered are all hands-on exhibits that are all aviation-themed and available for during the day and in the evenings. Students have the ability to tour the museum on a field trip to see aircrafts first hand while participating in activities such as Science of Flight and Fun with Frakenplanes to learn more about aviation history. In the Science of Flight students use different shapes to build aircrafts, which teach children about engineering designs, the axis of flight, and the four forces of flight. In Fun with Frakenplanes, children can design their own amphibian and learn about biomimicry while exploring historic aircrafts. In the Docent-led Tours, visitors are guided through the museum by a docent as they educate the group about the history of aircrafts by using interactive elements. The Self-guided Exploration of the museum gives museumgoers the freedom to discover the museum at their own pace while participating in the scavenger hunt provided by the aviation center.
At the museum there are a variety of events throughout the year for members of the community to participate in. Aviation Adventure, Evening for Educators, and 2018 Hall of Fame are some of the upcoming programs offered throughout the year. In Aviation Adventure the museum offers free admission all day, provides additional activities, and there are food trucks during lunchtime. The Evening of Educators is a program that promotes the educational opportunities of the Alaskan Aviation Museum. During the 2018 Hall of Fame, the Museum will be celebrating its 30th anniversary and will be holding an event to recognize the pioneer aviators who developed the aviation industry in Alaska. Through the events the museum strives to have interact programs to connect visitors to the history of aviation.
4721 I Dr, Aircraft, AK 99502, Phone: 907-248-5325, website, Map
