The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Air Show

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Franklin Air Show Exhibit indicated by icon of a plane above a cloud

Put your piloting skills to the test in this lively air show that introduces you to the history, majesty, science, and technology of powered flight! Hear the roar of planes overhead as you explore the basic principles of aeronautics and explore life stories and artifacts from the earliest aviation pioneers, including the Wright Brothers, Bessie Coleman, the Tuskegee Airmen, and Amelia Earhart.

Learn about airflow and how to control it for flight. Stand in front of a giant fan while wearing foam “wings” on your arms and feel the lift force. Make a paper whirligig and watch it rise on an updraft. You’ll find the activities in this exhibit uplifting!

Fun Fact: The Wright Model B Flyer, like the one on display in The Franklin Air Show, was one of the first mass-produced aircraft ever built and was the first plane to fly non-stop from Philadelphia to Atlantic City.

Things to Do and See in The Franklin Air Show

  • The Wright Brother's 1903 drawing Franklin Airshow exhibit at The Franklin Institute.
    See Artifacts from the Wright Brothers Collection

    See the drawing of the original 1903 Wright Flyer. It’s just one of many fascinating artifacts in the Wright Brothers Aeronautical Engineering Collection.

  • The 1911 Wright Model B Flyer artifact in the Franklin Airshow exhibit at The Franklin Institute.
    See the 1911 Wright Model B Flyer

    This amazing piece of history is the most intact Wright airplane remaining in the world!

  • A boy sitting inside the T-33 Jet Trainer in the Franklin Airshow exhibit at The Franklin Institute.
    Take Control of a 1948 T-33 Jet Trainer

     Climb inside one of the most successful jet trainers ever built and handle real jet controls.

  • Pilot training interactive in the Franklin Airshow exhibit at The Franklin Institute.
    Take the Controls as You Enter Pilot Training

    Learn how rudders control lift and direction so you can take flight.

  • A boy using the foam wings interactive in the Franklin Airshow exhibit at The Franklin Institute.
    Feel the Force of Lift as You Attempt to Take Off

    Hold onto your "wings" and feel the force of lift as the wind comes right at you!

Interactive Map

Floor

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Map of the second floor, showing the locations of major, permanent exhibits, The Giant Heart, and the Benjamin Franklin Memorial..
Map of the second floor, showing the locations of major, permanent exhibits, The Giant Heart, and the Benjamin Franklin Memorial..