Family Fun

Fun Stuff

Childrens Birthday Parties
The Museum can host your next birthday party, for more informtion please download a the flyer Childrens Birthday Parties.

Open Cockpits
Visit the cockpit of an airplane at one of our scheduled Open Cockpit days (check Events for more information). Ride Dreamseeker - the Museum’s full-motion simulator (Sunday afternoons only). See your pre-schooler take flight in one of the Wright Flyer pedal pushers. Team up with family members and take a scavenger hunt through the Museum. The New England Air Museum offers all kinds of family fun throughout the year.

New Displays
Three additional aircraft are now on display in the Museum’s Military Hangar.
The Ryan PT-22 Trainer was donated several years ago but it was placed in storage.  It is in beautiful condition and will remain on display for the foreseeable future.
The Chinese-built MiG-15 was acquired many years ago and was originally on inside display.  Due to space constraints it was moved to the outdoor storage yard.  The Museum’s volunteer restoration crew has been working on it to improve its condition and appearance.  As the Eastern Bloc’s first operational jet fighter, it is a historically significant aircraft.
The Doman LZ-5 helicopter has just been repainted and will be completely re-assembled.  It is unique and the sole survivor of its type having been designed and built by Doman Helicopters in Danbury, Connecticut in the 1950’s.

Summer 2010
Each week there will be a different theme with hands-on activities and fun for the whole family. On Friday of each week there will be a Family Activity for a small additional fee. Outdoor programs could change due to weather. The activities for each week are subject to change.

Week of July 5 discover Blimps and Balloons
Remote Control Blimp Demo’s Mon - Fri
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
July 5 - 11am - 4pm Hot Air Balloon Demos
July 6 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
July 7 - Tour of our Blimp Cart
July 8 - Balloon Basket Demo and slide show at 11:00am
July 9 - Build a 6’ tissue paper balloon and launch it, Members $3 per family, Non-Members $5 per family. Workshops will be held at 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm

Week of July 12 fun with Racing to the Finish Line
Fly Racing planes on flight Simulators Mon - Fri
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
July 12 - Wood planes demo’s on pylons
July 13 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
July 14 -  "Time Machine" demonstration of Remote Control airplanes
July 15 - Build paper planes
July 16 - Design and test balsa wood models for speed, Members $3 & Non-Members $5.

Week of July 19 meet Heroes of Aviation
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
July 19 - Interview a Hero and a presentation by Life Star
July 20 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
Art with Aaron
July 21 - Viewing of the Museum's Lockheed Electra
July 22 - Vintage Radio Club will have a display
July 23 - “Amelia Earhart” Interactive Story at 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm. Price to be announced

Week of July 26 fly Rockets
Demo and build Rockets Mon - Fri
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
July 26 - Build Rockets with Legos
July 27 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
July 28 - Build and experiment- Rocket Recovery Systems
July 29 - Build Water Rockets (weather permitting)
July 30 - Build & Fly Estes Rockets, Members $3 & Non-Members $5

Week of August 2 learn about Helicopters and Rescue
Build Whirly Gigs Mon - Fri
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
Fly Helicopters on Flight Simulators Mon - Fri
August 2 -  "Time Machine" demonstration of Remote Control helicopters
August 3 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
August 4 - Open Cockpit with the UH-1 Huey, Sikorsky HH-52 and the Hiller helicopters
August 5 - TBA
August 6 - Snap Helicopter Model Workshop, Members $4 & Non-Members $10 (admission and workshop)

Week of August 9 uncover the secrets of Space Exploration
August 9 - Help design & build a Lego Mars Colony
August 10 - Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm. Also a Portable Planetarium will be on site.
August 11 - TBA
August 12 - TBA
August 13 - Build a Robotic arm with everyday materials, Members $3 & Non-Members $5

Week of August 16 understand Airplanes and Gliders
Build Foam Flyers- Mon - Fri
Scavenger Hunt to be offered Mon - Fri
August 16 - Build an Aircraft with Legos
August 17- Storybook Time for ages 5-10 at 11am & 1pm
August 18 - Forces of Flight Program
August 19 - Mini Open Cockpit
August 20 - AMA Model Workshop, Members $4 & Non-Members $10 (admission and workshop)

More Summer Activities

NEAM will be hosting Shoot for the Stars in collaboration with the CT Girls Scouts July 22-23, 2010. This will be a unique opportunity for Junior Girl Scouts to sleep under the stars and airplane wings at the New England Air Museum, build and fly models while learning about aerodynamics, meet impressive role models, and meet requirements for the aerospace badge. Please see the attached flyer and registration form. All Junior Girl Scouts are welcome with or without their troop as long as they have an adult accompanying them.

4U2C, a workshop exploring careers in aviation and aerospace engineering for students ages 12-14 will be offered August 9-13, 2010. The cost is $250 for the week. Please refer to the attached program and registration form for more information. Questions should be addressed to Caroline d’Otreppe at (860) 623-3305 ext. 13.

Family Events
Special family events are scheduled during school vacation times including Open Cockpit days when aircraft are open to visitors, LEGO Competitions, modeling workshops, and scavenger hunts. Check Events for more information.

KidsPort is Here!!

KidsPort
Visit the Museum’s newest exhibit “KidsPort.” This is an educational, interactive exhibit that uses touch screen technology geared toward children ages 4-10.  KidsPort has been developed by CATAVIA, Inc. an international educational software company whose mission is to introduce children to aviation and aerospace technology.

Under the direction of CATAVIA, the Museum’s staff has built a kid-size airport complete with an air traffic control tower, passenger terminal, maintenance hangar, aerodynamics laboratory, cargo tug and more.  Each of the eight stations has 1-3 touch screens with animated children’s characters.  In a multimedia environment, these colorful characters host an exploration of aviation that is full of music and lively video clips.  Children will learn their way around the control tower, the airport terminal, the virtual airplane cockpit, the terminal, the ramp, the maintenance hangar and more.  All the programs are in both English and Spanish.

The KidsPort exhibit is permanent and will be available to visitors during the Museum’s regular hours which are 10am to 5pm every day of the week.

Fun at the Museum!!!
Are you looking for a unique way to entertain your children? At the Museum daily are special interactive activities designed for any ages special thanks to our Scientific Literacy Program.

The New England Air Museum is pleased to offer a new program for the benefit of its general admission visitors.  The program, formally called the “Scientific Literacy Program” employs educators who are on hand every Saturday and Sunday to greet visitors and invite them to participate in a number of activities and demonstrations that are entertaining and educational.

According to the Museum’s Director, Michael P. Speciale, “It is our intent to make the Museum’s collection of historic aircraft and related artifacts come to life, especially for our younger visitors.  The newly hired educators are doing a wonderful job in relating to our visitors and in helping them to discover the principles of aviation and aerospace in a fun and exciting way. Since the program started, the feedback from our visitors have been overwhelmingly positive.”

Much of the funding for this program has been made possible through a three year grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Connecticut Science Center Coupon