Visit to the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita

TusharSuradkar · May 20, 2020, 7:20am

We often travel inside an aircraft or see them parked on the tarmac outside the airport gates. But there are limitations on how close we can get to the aircraft when boarding, especially the engines and the cockpit where entry is restricted.

Aviation museums are places where one can literally touch and feel an aircraft and can also experience how it feels like inside the cockpit and the view of the outside from a pilot’s perspective.

The Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita in the United States is one such place and I had the privilege of visiting this place recently. The operating timing is from 10 am to 5 pm from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sunday However the museum opens at 12 noon and closes at 5 pm. On Monday the museum remains closed.

The museum exhibits Aircraft and its components like the engines, rotor blades, and wings both indoor and also in the open i.e. outdoor.

The main attraction indoors is this nice yellow-painted biplane used in World War 1

Here’s a collection of propeller blades made of wood and are hand-crafted.

Here’s another plane used in World War 1 which is under restoration:

Another attraction in the indoor section is a real jet engine which has its internal parts opened up and can be observed from very close.

The guide at the museum is a senior citizen who is also an aircraft hobbyist and keeps himself busy with the restoration work when there are no visitors.

In the outdoors, are a huge collection of small and large aircraft.

One can go very close to these aircraft and take photos.

Here’s a nacelle which is the outer covering of the aircraft engine.

Overall the visit to the Kansas Aviation Museum was a very enriching and thrilling experience.

Experiencing aircraft from a close-up is a unique experience.

Have you been to a unique museum recently? I’d be interested in knowing about your experience.

Till then… Happy Guiding

Accessibility Features

Ramp Access.

Wheelchair-accessible Entrance.

Wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.

Wheelchair-accessible Seating.

Wheelchair-accessible Parking.

What Else To Do In Wichita, Kansas

While you are in Wichita, KS, these are the top-recommended places:

This article is part of the Kansas StateChallenge organized by @Denise_Barlock and @Kwiksatik,

Also tagging regular attendees at the Quiz

@Erna_LaBeau, @Kashifmisidia, @jayasimha78, @SilvyC, @JaneBurunina

ShafiulB · May 20, 2020, 9:43am

@TusharSuradkar Very nice and informative post you have shared. I still not visited any aircraft museum. Your photographs just giving me the real experience of aircraft museums. Thanks for sharing!

Happy Guiding!

MoniDi · May 20, 2020, 2:27pm

Hey @TusharSuradkar ,

Thanks for sharing your experience at the Aircraft Museum. Where I live, there is the National Museum of Military History where visitors can find not only air planes but also tanks and other means of transport used during the wars. There are several old air planes displayed at the airport.

Visiting such museums is an interesting and educational experience!

TusharSuradkar · May 20, 2020, 3:02pm

Thanks @ShafiulB

I can see there’s an Airforce museum in Dhaka that could be a good place to start with.

I wish eventually you get to see other aviation museums the world over.

~Greetings from India

TusharSuradkar · May 20, 2020, 3:06pm

Thanks for the info about the airforce museum in Bulgaria, @MoniDi

I took some time to look at the photos and comparatively it seems to be a huge place.

In New Delhi where I live there are as many as 42 museums including 3 children museums and 4 fascinating tribal art museums. It’s a pity I have been to just 5 of them so far. I will share a list of all those museums on Google Maps soon.

~Greetings from India

MoniDi · May 20, 2020, 4:15pm

Hello @TusharSuradkar ,

Thanks for replying back. Since you’ve mentioned the museums in your area, I thought you might enjoy reading this post Celebrating International Museum Day 2020.

Thai_Ngh · May 20, 2020, 5:06pm

Very interesting post, thanks @TusharSuradkar for sharing !

Here’s my post

TusharSuradkar · May 20, 2020, 5:39pm

Thanks @Thai_Ngh

And12-X2 · May 21, 2020, 9:14am

@TusharSuradkar a well articulated post

vijayparadkar · May 21, 2020, 9:50am

Hi @TusharSuradkar

This is really an amazing post about the Aircraft Museum. All your photos are wonderful.

Thanks for sharing your experience at the Aircraft Museum.

TusharSuradkar · May 21, 2020, 2:33pm

Thanks @And12-X2

TusharSuradkar · May 21, 2020, 2:34pm

Thanks, @vijayparadkar

BR,

Tushar

Velvel · May 21, 2020, 3:32pm

It must be a great experience for you to visit this aircraft museum @TusharSuradkar

You could see directly and even touch the plane. I saw a FedEx plane on your photo. Is that only used to carry things only?

Thanks for sharing.

TusharSuradkar · May 21, 2020, 3:44pm

Thanks @Velvel

You are right, the feeling of getting close to an aircraft is beyond words.

The FedX aircraft is a regular Boeing plane that does not have the seats installed but empty from inside wherein they stuff all the parcel and shipment.