On June 11-12, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will come alive with special activities to celebrate the grand opening of the fourth building, which will feature 10 presidential aircraft and a world-class collection of flight test aircraft, along with the Space Shuttle Exhibit and huge cargo planes. Entertaining and educational activities are being planned from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12. Throughout the weekend, the museum and a number of participating organizations will offer FREE hands-on activities for all ages, including educational demonstrations, special costumed characters, the Air Force’s customized Vapor Special Ops Supercar, plus a number of displays from the Air Force and other groups.
Note: The following activities will be offered free-of-charge. Information will continue to be updated as the event nears.
All-day activities on June 11-12 9 a.m.-4 p.m. - Air Force Recruiting Vapor Special Ops Supercar (outdoors) - Special costumed characters (throughout all museum galleries) - Hands-on activities, displays and educational demonstrations (second building) - Kids' area with flight simulators and drones, plus Air Force and space-themed hand stamps (Cold War Gallery) - Subject matter experts (fourth building) - Plus much, much more throughout the museum!
STEM Learning Node (SLN) schedule Saturday, June 11 Space and R&D SLN 9:15 a.m. - Former Astronaut Mark Brown 10 a.m. - Design & Test Your Own Plane 11 a.m. - How to Build a New Museum Building Noon - Space Trivia Contest (prize value $100) 1 p.m. - From Lenses to Lasers: Fun with Light 2 p.m. - How to Build a New Museum Building 3 p.m. - Space Trivia Contest (prize value $100)
Presidential SLN 9:30 a.m. - Waves Activity 10:30 a.m. - Wind Tunnel Activity 11:30 a.m. - Density Activity 12:30 p.m. - Ozobots Activity 1:30 p.m. - Waves Activity 2:30 p.m. - Early Parachutes
Global Reach SLN 9:30 a.m. - Aeromedical Evacuation 10:30 a.m. - SensorCraft Computer Game 1:30 p.m. - 3-D Printing
Sunday, July 12 Space and R&D SLN 9 a.m. - Space-related demos 10 a.m. - From Lenses to Lasers: Fun with Light 11 a.m. - Space Trivia Contest (prize value $100) 12 p.m. - Space-related demos 1 p.m. - Design & Test Your Own Plane 2 p.m. - Space Trivia Contest (valued at $100) 3 p.m. - Space-related demos
Presidential SLN 9:30 a.m. - Modular Robotics Activity 10:30 a.m. - littleBits Activity 11:30 a.m. - Material Science Activity 12:30 p.m. - Bridges Activity 1:30 p.m. - Wind Tunnel Activity 2:30 p.m. - Eggbert Challenge Activity 3:30 p.m. - Student Robotics Activity
Global Reach SLN
9:30 a.m. - 3-D Printing
12:30 p.m. - Aeromedical Evacuation
1:30 p.m. - SensorCraft Computer Game
Updated 5/26/16 Schedule subject to change
Air Force Museum Theatre shows on June 11-12 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. - All shows cost $5 per person - Shows will begin every 30 minutes - Shows include Rescue 3D (10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.), Journey to Space 3D (11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.), Aircraft Carrier 3D (11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.) and Fighter Pilot 3D (noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m.)
Museum Store book signings on June 11 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - Col. (Ret.) Ken Chilstrom, author of "Test Flying at Old Wright Field" (fourth building across from Space Shuttle Exhibit) - Bill Holder, author of "Planes of the Presidents" (fourth building across from Space Shuttle Exhibit) - Joe Ventolo, author of "XB-70 Valkyrie: The Ride to Valhalla" (fourth building across from Space Shuttle Exhibit)
Food service on June 11-12 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - Valkyrie Café (second floor above the Museum Store) - Refueling Café (Cold War Gallery balcony) - Food Court, including Cassano's Pizza King and e.a.t. (Cold War Gallery) - Food Trucks, including Kona Ice, Courtland's Mobile Grill and Gringo Loco (outdoors)
4Paws for Ability 445th Airlift Wing 501st Legion (Star Wars) 711th Human Performance Wing 788th Explosive Ordnance Disposal 88th Air Base Wing Security Forces AIAA Dayton-Cincinnati Section Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Air Force Material Command and 88th Air Base Wing Chaplains Air Force Museum Foundation Air Force Research Laboratory Armstrong Air & Space Museum Aviation Trail Parachute Museum Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Civil Air Patrol Cincinnati Observatory CubeSat Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau Dayton Dragons Dayton History Discovery Lab Global Engineers Club of Dayton Mars Society - Ohio Chapter National Aviation Hall of Fame Learning Center National Aviation Heritage Alliance PowerStackers Robotics R2-D2 Club Rebel Legion (Star Wars) Regional STEM Collaborative Sinclair Community College USAF Band of Flight USAF Recruiting Service USAF School of Aerospace Medicine WACO Air Museum Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum Wright Stuff Rocketeers WSU Public History Program
Note: The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the National Museum of the USAF, the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense, of the external website, or the information, products or services contained therein.
Special thanks to these subject matter experts:
Tech. Sgt. (Ret.) Janet Barker Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Danny Bowen Col. (Ret.) Mark Brown Dr. Squire Brown Col. (Ret.) Ken Chilstrom Master Sgt. (Ret.) Valerie Lejeune Col. Elena Oberg Peter Patrick Col. (Ret.) Colleen Ryan Lt. Col. Stephen Schnell Dr. Jeff Underwood
Special thanks to those who are assisting as costumed characters:
Jeremy Bowles Jim Charters Glen Fike Don Hatcher David Hills Joe Otmar Debora and Harry Pearson David Raper Joe Rich Victor and Holly Vick Ayn Wood (costume designer)
