American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum

American Airlines is the major carrier for people flying into the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  With the corporate headquarters and pilot training facility located in the metroplex the C.R. Smith Museum provides visitors with a very interesting history and understanding of the airlines history.  The museum was opened in November 2007 and is a beautiful facility offering visitors with many interactive displays, video histories and an opportunity to walk through one of the early aircraft flown by the airline.

The walkway up to the museum is breathtaking and the architecture of the building is inviting as you ascend the stairs to the main entrance.  At the entry to the museum is a memorial to the flight crews killed in the 911 attacks.  When you enter the museum you can watch an interesting movie about the history of the airlines.  The seats in the theater are first class airline seats that make it a fun experience for the kids.

After the movie you begin your tour of the exhibits.  The first exhibit area is about the history of the airlines.  There are lots of various artifacts, but this area also provides the visitor with a wide variety of video histories to help you learn about the history.  The story of American Airlines starts in 1926 when Charles Lindbergh flew a bag of mail from Chicago to St. Louis.  You learn that the first planes flown by the airlines were refereed to as Flagships until the 1970s when during the space race a marketing firm recommended that the name of the aircraft change to astroliners.

Try your skill as a pilot in the flight simulator.

In addition to the historical portion of the museum there is a section of the museum that discusses modern day airline operations, showing visitors about modern day maintenance facilities, airport operations and the decisions that go into running a world wide airline.  Interactive exhibits are also provided to guest of all ages to learn about the principles of flight, making science fun.  One interactive exhibit provides visitors with the opportunity to fly a flight simulator.  While the simulator is using Microsoft Flight Simulator X, which you can use on your home computer, the museum has built it into a simulated aircraft with more realistic control features including a flight yoke, gear lever and throttle control.

The centerpiece of the museum is the beautifully restored Douglas DC3 from the 1940s.  The Flagship Knoxville is open for visitors to walk through and see the early days of commercial aviation.  Walked up the slanted aisle to the cockpit is a strange feeling compared to today’s aircraft, but you can imagine how special flying was in the early days, and what a unique experience it would have been to fly this aircraft.

There of course is a gift shop with American Airlines company items, books and other items for the kids.  The price is very affordable for this fun and interactive museum.  Cheap family fun will be had if you visit.

Details for Visitors

Address: 4601 Hwy 360, Fort Worth , Texas 76155 (Map)
Hours of Operation: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Check Website for Holiday Hours)
Phone: 817-967-1560
Cost: $4.00 for Adults, $2 Children and Students, $2 Senior 55+, $2 Military
Website: http://www.crsmithmuseum.org/home.aspx