EXHIBIT CELEBRATES BALLOON HISTORY
Albuquerque’s balloon museum opens an exhibit today that marks America’s first balloon flight in 1793, along with later milestones in aviation.
An exhibit celebrating the first air voyage/balloon flight that lifted off from Philadelphia in 1793, ushering in the age of human aviation in the U.S., opens today at the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum.
The exhibition, First Air Voyages in America: Ballooning and Other Innovative Forms of Flight, will commemorate the 225th anniversary of that historic event and highlight other noteworthy first air voyages since 1793, organizers said in a news release.
These include ballooning advancements during the 19th century, as well as the first steps toward space by balloon in the 20th century, and major milestones in airplane flight, such as the first air voyage to break the sound barrier.
In addition to the Balloon Museum’s permanent collection, other exhibitions open include the new Weather Lab and Arctic Air: The Bold Flight of S.A. Andrée. Short flight-related films can be viewed in the Tim Anderson 4-D Theater.
Regular admission to the Balloon Museum includes entry to all of the exhibitions. Admission fees are $4 for adults (with a $1 discount for New Mexico residents with a valid ID); $2 for seniors 65 and older; $1 for children age 4-12; children under 3 are free.
The museum’s hours will be extended from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7-15.