Our community is rich in history and one of my children’s favorite places to go in the summer is the Freedom of Flight Museum.
Our partners at the museum would like to tell us more about themselves and I hope you will take a moment to read their message below.
Take the opportunity at the end of summer to visit them at the old Joplin airport.
Here is a message from our friends at the Joplin Freedom of Flight Museum:
Looking for a “cool” summer activity? Visit a museum near you. It’s a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon.
Did you know that there are at least ten great museums in our area? Each is unique in its content and purpose and serves important functions.
One of the most important tasks of a museum is to preserve our heritage. There is a lot to learn from the past. A visit to a museum allows you to learn about the technology, science, methods and thought processes of earlier times.
This information can be helpful in the development of modern technologies.
Museums also provide inspiration. Understanding the efforts, perseverance and sacrifices of our ancestors can inspire us to work harder, try more and be creative.
If they could do it, so can we.
Another advantage that museums offer is educational resources, as they have enormous amounts of data and materials.
In addition, we offer hands-on activities to encourage our youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
One museum in our area that you will find particularly interesting is the Freedom of Flight Museum at Joplin Regional Airport.
Established in 2015, the museum was founded with the aim of preserving the achievements of local individuals and businesses.
The museum offers many stories about the vision, courage and achievements of people from our region in aviation and space travel.
Learn about the first airplane flights at Schifferdecker Park in Joplin, the invention of the aircraft carrier hook in Neosho, a secret British pilot training base in Miami, Oklahoma, the construction of batteries for the U.S. space program in Joplin, an astronaut from Carthage, special aircraft built in Pittsburgh for extreme jungle conditions, the world’s smallest man-made airplane in Diamond, the landing of Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow in Joplin and many other fascinating stories.
The museum is also fortunate to own a collection of Ernie Trumbly’s aerospace equipment and devices.
This is one of the largest collections of navigation, aviation, weapons and security items you will ever see.
The museum is open from Thursday to Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(State Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, represents the 32nd Senatorial District. She can be reached by phone at her office at 573-751-2173 or by text at 417-216-7077 or by email at [email protected].)
