Museum Spotlight: Wings Over the Rockies

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum is located on the former grounds of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. Tucked away in the historic Lowry neighborhood and housed in Hangar No. 1, the museum preserves the history of Lowry Air Force Base’s operations from 1938 to 1994 in its collections, archives, and research library. As Colorado’s Official Air & Space Museum, Wings is dedicated to educating and inspiring visitors about aviation and space endeavors of the past, present and future.

The museum features dozens of aircraft, space vehicles, and interactive exhibits. The collection includes an Apollo boilerplate capsule, a rare B-18A Bolo–one of only five remaining WWII-era bombers, five Century-Series fighters, a Star Wars™ X-Wing Starfighter, and one of only two B-1A Lancers.

While remembering and preserving the past is important to Wings, the museum is also looking to the future to inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders. Their enrichment program, Wings Aerospace Pathways (WAP), prepares that next generation through hands-on, experiential learning. Students in grades 6 through 12 build an RV-12 aircraft, 3D print, fly RC aircraft and drones, and much more.

Just last year, Wings joined forces with the Jeppesen Aviation Foundation to create the Wings Over the Rockies Captain Jeppesen Foundation, a new 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation has already awarded dozens of flight training scholarships and grants to Colorado students, providing them with the necessary support to achieve their dreams in aviation.

As one of the most significant educational outreach initiatives ever undertaken, Wings Over the Rockies’ Teacher Flight Program provides a free flight experience to one teacher in every school along Colorado’s front range so they can inspire the next generation of aviation and space professionals in their own classroom. With over 250 educators flying since 2017, the connectivity between flight and a growing population of students is becoming ever more powerful.

These educator flights take off from Centennial Airport in Englewood, where Wings Over the Rockies’ newest campus, Exploration of Flight, houses future-focused aviation and space centers designed to educate, entertain, and provide visitors with unique experiences and exhibits. The Boeing Blue Sky Aviation Gallery at the Exploration of Flight campus is a dynamic, flight-focused exploration center that offers visitors interactive flight related experiences and gives visitors a chance to participate in flight and flight-related activities.

For more information and to plan your visit, go to wingsmuseum.org.