Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum

Meet Amelia

The museum includes a lifelike animated portrayal of Amelia herself—a digital creation that took over 1,000 combined hours of research, AI technology and computational design. Using a blend of archival footage, photographs and human performance, the result is a charismatic and convincing representation that welcomes visitors and sets the tone for their journey.

As visitors move inside the gallery, young Amelia’s story begins. Through real-life stories, archival audio, digital scrapbooks and antique telephones, guests explore her childhood curiosity. One exhibit highlights how Amelia, denied a ride on a roller coaster, simply built her own. A modern roller coaster replica allows visitors to crank up the cars by hand and watch them race, bringing physics and play together.

The “Careers” AR-interactive invites visitors to visualize themselves in roles Amelia once held or admired—pilot, nurse, fashion designer, mechanic—transforming them into gesture-reactive avatars that mirror movement with period-specific uniforms.

Fly Like Amelia

A detailed timeline wall, complete with 3D holograms and capacitive engine displays, showcases the evolution of aviation alongside Amelia’s personal milestones. Visitors can touch real engine components and watch animated explanations light up above in a dramatic audio-visual payoff with a roaring engine.

Visitors can also test their plane restoration skills. Using a prop rivet gun, they compete to repair Muriel by hitting precise targets with speed and accuracy. Nearby, a partial cockpit replica lets guests climb in and get a feel for Amelia’s tight quarters, while a real Garmin G1000 avionics suite offers a look at just how far technology has come.

The hangar’s mezzanine brings visitors close to the stars. “Amelia’s Guiding Lights” lets them explore the methods Fred Noonan used for celestial navigation, practice with a sextant, and study cloud layers and historical tech. One wall is dedicated to the enduring mystery of Amelia’s disappearance, inviting guests to vote on theories in real time.

Finally, visitors step into a virtual reality flight simulator to retrace Amelia’s route, piloting toward Paris or rerouting to Ireland, depending on their skill. The journey ends in a small theater with a message of resilience and hope, encouraging every guest to dream big and defy limits—just like Amelia did.