Huge announcement! 👢 👒 👜 Introducing “Runway to Runway,” the new special exhibit from The Museum of Flight. Take a trip through history with more than 50 vintage flight attendant uniforms and accessories, learning about the people who wore each uniform and the barriers they broke while wearing it.
This is our first exhibit presented entirely in English and Spanish!
Runway to Runway now open at The Museum of Flight.
Learn more about Runway to Runway at the link in bio.
Have you heard of George Carruthers, an African American inventor who changed astronomy forever? Born in 1939, he is best known for creating a specialized camera for the Apollo program so astronauts could take pictures from the Lunar surface. This was a tricky task, because the camera needed to work out in the open on the Moon and the astronauts needed to be able to adjust it while wearing their cumbersome space suits.
Image Description: George Carruthers poses with a specialized, gold-colored camera.
Image Credit: NASA
The Museum of Flight is proud to be a Blue Star Museum. We offer free admission for active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, between Armed Forces Day (Saturday, May 16, 2026) and Labor Day (Monday, September 7, 2026).
The program is a partnership between @neaarts , @bluestarfamilies , and hundreds of museums across the United States.
If we had a nickel for every time someone called the M/D-21 the SR-71, we wouldn't have to fundraise! But joking aside, it's actually a completely understandable mistake. The Lockheed M/D-21 spy plane in the center of the Great Gallery here at The Museum of Flight may look like the SR-71 Blackbird, but it's actually a one-of-a-kind cousin.
Both are based on the Lockheed A-12, which explains the similarities. Most of the visual differences between the two are subtle and would go unnoticed by the vast majority of visitors, like the fact that the M-21 is a few feet shorter than the SR-71.
Far more conspicuous is that thing on the back of the M-21 that looks like a third engine.
That is a D-21 drone. The M-21 was designed to ferry the D-21 to the border of the Soviet Union, then release the uncrewed reconnaissance drone to continue on and fly over Soviet territory autonomously while the M-21 turned around before actually crossing the border, allowing the United States to technically honor an agreement not to fly crews over the USSR. This points to the real difference between the M-21 and the SR-71: the mission. The M-21 was meant to be an alternative to traditional spy planes by letting the United States gather intelligence without actually having to send crews over adversarial territory. The SR-71 was meant to zoom right on through and outrun anything that might try and hit it.
Only two M-21s were built, and the other airframe crashed during a test flight, killing crew member Ray Torick. The project was canceled and is today a footnote even in aviation history books, meaning most people have never heard of it. So it's no surprise that people see what looks like an SR-71 and assume that it is!
It's migration season for our flying friends! Based on numbers submitted by bird watchers across Washington state, @cornellbirds estimates that over half a million birds migrated across our region last night alone!
Sandhill Cranes, like the one in the photo, cross through central Washington, while folks living in the Puget Sound region might see (or hear) the Black-headed Grosbeak or Western Sandpiper. Help these feathered friends on their journey by observing them from a distance, turning off outdoor lights at night, and keeping your cats indoors (you live in Seattle - you have a cat, let's be honest).
Want to learn more or go out and spot these beautiful birds? Check out the programming put on by our friends at @birdsconnectsea !
Museum of Flight Members! 🌟 We want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your benefits. Here’s a reminder of some of the Member-exclusive events and discounts coming up in the next few weeks:
STEM Starters – Sunday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 19. This program introduces our youngest Members (ages 3 to 5) and an adult co-pilot to the wonders of aerospace. RSVP required.
Member-only Docent Tour – Wednesday, May 27 and Sunday, June 14. Take a tour of the Museum with one of our expert Docents. Perfect for new Members or those wanting to brush up on their aviation trivia. RSVP required.
Discount to "Beyond the Horizon with Xyla Foxlin" – Friday, May 29. Members enjoy a $10 discount on this special program featuring engineer, pilot and YouTube sensation Xyla Foxlin.
Member Planetarium – Black Holes: Science and Fiction – Sunday, June 7. Designed for explorers aged 6 to 10, this Member-only show in one of our planetariums will take you into the history and science of black holes. RSVP Required.
Travel Perks – Planning to travel or staycation this summer? All Members receive FREE reciprocal admission to 8 other local aviation museums through the Partners of the West program. In addition, Members at the Captain level and above receive free admission to hundreds of museums around the world through the ASTC Passport Program. Check the Member portal for the most up-to-date list.
Our Grumman F-14 Tomcat wants to wish you a Happy Top Gun Day. The classic film premiered on May 12, 1986. Next time you visit The Museum of Flight, make sure you stop at the Tomcat and sing a few bars from "Danger Zone." You know you want to.
These are the droids you're looking for! The R2 Builders Club Expo is happening this Saturday, Saturday, May 16, at The Museum of Flight. The Pacific Northwest R2 Builders Club will keep you amused and informed with their robotic creations from the Star Wars universe. It’s a great time for photos!
This event is FREE with Membership and included with general admission.
How do private satellite launches work? Space historian Geoff Nunn, Curator of Spaceflight and Contemporary Aerospace at The Museum of Flight, answers your questions about humanity’s quest for the stars.
