Exploration Place To Overhaul Flight Exhibits With Help From Local Businesses

Wichita's "Exploration Place" interactive museum raising money for a renovation of its flight pavilion, and it's getting help from of some of the city's best-known companies.

Jan Luth, the president of the science center and children's museum, made the announcement Monday. She said that after 11 years, the makeover of the gallery was due. But "the topic ... aviation ... is still alive and fresh in the city of Wichita."

The Wichita Eagle reports that in making the announcement, Luth said the museum has raised $45,000 of its stated $60,000 goal for the design work on the new gallery. Contributors include Cessna, Bombardier-Learjet, Spirit AeroSystems, Airbus, Hawker Beechcraft, Boeing, and others.

The chairman of the Museum's board of directors, Tom Gangel, said the theme of the new exhibit will be "Design, Build, Fly." He envisions engineering stations, assembly stations, and flight simulators to be part of the experience. 

Luth told the paper that the design phase of the project should take about nine months. No timeline has been set for the actual construction of the new gallery.

FMI: www.exploration.org