History

Originally founded in 1974 by Donald Douglas Jr. as the Douglas Museum and Library located on the South side of the Santa Monica Airport

Santa Monica Airport

Santa Monica Airport , also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located largely in Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is located about from the Pacific Ocean and north of LAX...

, the Museum migrated to the North side of the Airport and reopened as the Museum of Flying in April 1989. The Museum gradually grew to a collection of over 50 vintage aircraft with many still in flight ready condition.

The anchor aircraft for the Museum was the Douglas World Cruiser, "New Orleans" which made the first circumnavigation of the globe along with its sister ship, "Chicago", in 1924. The Chicago now sits at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum. The museum's collection of artifacts, exhibits, and aviation art chronicle the development of aviation in Southern California.

Over the next several year's the museum played host to many historic and memorable special events and activities, including "A Walk on the Moon" in 1999 in which 7 NASA lunar astronauts were present and honored for their advancement in the discovery of space and the moon. In 2000, the museum held the 60th Commemorative Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Attendees at this event witnessed first-hand accounts of this epic air battle, live and in person from several RAF and Luftwaffe pilots who joined us for this milestone occasion.

One of the most popular programs of the Museum was the children's A's Award Flight Program. On pre-selected dates, children achieving the letter grade "A" in any academic subject could receive a free airplane ride as a reward for dedication toward education. The museum also featured a number of other educational programs for both children and adults; including weekend family workshops and a volunteer presentation series.

The Museum was forced to temporarily close in July 2002 due to economic challenges. Since that time, Museum officials have been in discussion with the City of Santa Monica on a suitable new location at the Santa Monica Airport. Recently, the Museum executed a lease agreement with the City of Santa Monica for the leasehold at 3100 Airport Avenue. The new Museum expansion and remodeling project is estimated to cost nearly $2 million. Construction and the Capital Campaign to support it are in progress.

Exhibits & Features

The Museum of Flying at the Santa Monica Airport in Santa Monica, California, will feature a display and exhibit area of nearly 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²).

The new Museum will provide displays and interpretive exhibits on the history of flight and the development and growth of the aviation and aerospace industry in Southern California. The Museum will place heavy emphasis on the Douglas Aircraft Company and the history of the Santa Monica Airport.

The new Museum will feature nearly 2 dozen aircraft chronicling the beginning of flight: from a replica Wright Flyer, all the way to the jet age, with the BD-5 micro jet and the FedEx 727 nose section. The Museum will also feature a broad collection of aviation art, rare artifacts, and ephemera from famous aviators. The museum will create a hands-on interactive and education center for children that will include a T-33 cockpit trainer, a Convair 240 nose, and the K-3 mini flight simulator that will teach children about pitch, yaw, and roll.

The Mezzanine of the new Museum will feature a replica of the Douglas Aircraft Company Executive Board room, and recreation of the office of Donald W. Douglas, Founder & Chairman of the Douglas Aircraft Company. The mezzanine will also house the new Museum Theater and Screening Room.