Museum of Flight

Now back into the swing of things, it was time to resume adventures this weekend.  It was raining and sometimes the mere idea of dealing with wet kids is enough to make you lose all enthusiasm and energy.  Instead we decided to check out the Museum of Flight.  If you thought this would be one of our regular haunts given that Dave is an aerospace engineer, then you would think wrong. 

I wasn't sure how kid friendly it would be and dealing with traffic from Boeing Field is often ugly so we just never go.  I have a vague early childhood memory of the Museum of Flight being in a red barn.  Let me tell you, in the ensuing 30 years since my last visit the museum has changed a lot.

First, it's HUGE.  The red barn is still there, housing the early years of of aerospace.  We were there for about two hours and didn't come close to seeing everything.  There's a whole section across the street that you access by skybridge that we didn't get to.  I would have liked to have spent more time reading the exhibit information, but that may have to wait until my kids can read and have that sort of patience.

Linus loved all of the NASA and space stuff.  It was pretty cool.  He was fascinated by all the old war planes, especially the ones with guns.  The downside?  He came right home and made his own fighter jet and tank out of paper and has been talking nonstop about guns, bombs, and missiles.  Aargh.  If you ask him what his favorite part was though, he will tell you it was the astronaut ice cream we bought in the gift shop.

Practicing being a fighter pilot

Eileen is less sure of her brother's skills.

Linus excitedly yelled, "I am Major Tom!"

Excited to finally get her own turn flying a plane.

 

Telling the air traffic controllers she's hungry.

 

 Eileen, having caught a short nap in the car, refused to nap.  We showed the kids Mary Poppins for the first time.  Even rousing numbers like "Sister Suffragette" couldn't keep her awake.  Eileen passed out on top of Dave.  He didn't mind.  As for me, I've had David Bowie's "Ground Control to Major Tom" stuck in my head.

Eileen sported some extra rosy cheeks in honor of Mary Poppins.

I'm hoping to visit the new MOHAI next week when it's free. As much as I love museums, and the Museum of Flight was worth a visit, I am ready for some better weather so we can get outside.  So many places to visit, so little time.