WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Aviation Museum announced a capital campaign Monday for a brand-new education wing with a goal to open in three phases over the next year.
The first phase is an early learning center designed for children from toddlers to age 5. First Flight Hangar, slated to open this spring, will include a custom control tower play set and an area where children can dress up and roleplay different aviation careers.
Runway to Innovation is scheduled to open in September. Supported by Bombardier, the interactive space will include flight simulation with custom-built cockpits and build space where children can work with a ChompSaw, which can cut cardboard into shapes but is safe for children to use. It will also feature the Paper Plane Challenge and interactive touchscreen games.
Kansas aviation community mourns Wichita’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’
Launch Point will open sometime next year. It’s supported by the Roth Family Foundation. The flexible classroom and lab space will be used to host STEAM camps and field trips and will serve as the primary hub for the museum’s educational programming.
The museum said this will be a “transformative initiative.” The “Where Dreams Take Flight” campaign has already reached 65% of its fundraising goal, according to the museum, thanks in part to support from Bombardier and the Roth Family Foundation. You can find more details about the expansion, including information about how to donate, on the museum’s website…