As we know, many airlines have come and gone. Change is a constant in the airline industry. Because of all the changes, the details of the past can quickly slip away. It’s great knowing that airlines have set up shrines to avgeeks the world over in the form of airline museums. One such place is the American Airlines CR Smith* Museum located near DFW Airport. We had been wanting to visit this museum for quite some time and the opportunity arose to visit.
Opened in 1993, this interactive museum chronicles the storied past of American Airlines.
Highlights of the museum include:
• a flight simulator where you can pilot your flight (there was a line, so didn’t get the opportunity to experience this exhibit)
• FA uniforms from different periods (the “Astrojet” period FA uniform was a favorite)
• an interactive kids area (being a kid at heart, I did pick up the crayons and created my own work of art)
• a 15 minute, heart-warming, patriotic film about American (the air-to-air visuals are spectacular)
• and the pièce de résistance – a fully restored DC-3 (Flagship Knoxville)
Another highlight of the visit: The Volunteers
It was such a pleasure to meet Betty, Foster, and Kyle. They made the visit exceptional. Betty greeted me as soon as I walked in and proceeded to give me a personalized overview of the museum. She asked question of me, used my name often, told me about the history of the museum, and shared with me her time as an American employee. Lovely lady. Then there was Kyle. A young student intern who felt very “fortunate” to be working in this particular museum. And I can’t say enough about Foster. He started with American in 1943 as a mechanic, became a flight engineer, and retired after 50 years. He was so kind and shared snippets of what it was like to work for an airline in the golden era. A true gem.
Perfect for a day trip or for those who may have a few hours layover at DFW. We highly recommend!
The museum is opened Tuesday – Saturday 9a – 5p, and seasonally on Sundays (1p – 5p From Memorial Day to Labor Day). For further information it’s best to visit the museum website at:
*CR Smith – Cyrus Rowlett Smith (in case you were wondering)
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