Made to inspire and educate students interested in the world of space, the Tulsa Air and Space Museum is a prime field trip destination to take a classroom full of curiosity. The stimulating environment of the museum creates an atmosphere that is meant for learning, as students discover inspirational stories from astronauts, unique aircraft, and simulated space voyage experiences. With its educational mission, the museum offers an excellent opportunity for educators to bring students to explore Oklahoma’s second-largest industry, Aviation and Aerospace, and home to the world’s largest military aircraft repair facility.
Providing a variety of hands-on experiences, students can get to know their way around multiple aspects of the aerospace-based curriculum. Group tours are led around the museum, with the help of activities that help bring the students involved in learning. These personal guided tours are led by one of the experienced docents, who share their stories of their time in the aviation industry as they explain exhibits. Exhibits feature the ins and outs of all the different aircraft they offer. The museum features open cockpits and various simulators, including the space shuttle landing, P-51, manned maneuvering unit, and hot air balloon. These interactive experiences help students understand the principles of flight and the technology used by astronauts, pilots, and scientists.
Students can get the opportunity to build their own aircraft in an interactive simulation. This hands-on touchscreen allows you to complete missions with your plane, testing cargo transport, speed, and engineering while exploring factors affecting flight. For little ones, the museum has Bernoulli’s Principle, where the exhibit explains the forces of flight by stacking balls in the air. The museum also offers an interactive shuttle simulator to recreate an authentic aeronautical experience. Hosting 2 individuals at a time, the simulation tests a student’s ability to glide on a runway, practicing the landing of an aircraft.
The museum also hosts Planetarium shows, providing an exciting educational experience by combining breathtaking, high-definition visuals with cutting-edge technology in a fully immersive theater setting. From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA takes you behind the scenes with NASA engineers as they design, test, and launch space missions. Students will explore the James Webb Space Telescope, Goddard Space Flight Center’s testing facilities, and the New Horizons mission to Pluto, showcasing the advancements in unmanned space flight and human exploration. Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity, narrated by Liam Neeson, takes students on an exciting journey through space using stunning visuals. The class will explore the birth and death of stars, galaxy collisions, and a flight to a supermassive black hole in the Milky Way.
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum is a fantastic field trip for all STEM and sci-fi enthusiasts. From gathering hands-on experience and knowledge of the world of aero science and space to watching fascinating films about our solar system, the museum offers the best educational activities and learning environments that provoke interests and thoughts about space and aviation.
