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The next time you get ready to "google", try to "goodsearch". When you do, choose IWASM as your charity of choice and GoodSearch will donate money to the museum for every search that you do.
GoodSearch
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"The Museum is dedicated to the preservation
of the history of women in aviation and space and the documentation
of their continuing contributions today and in the future."
More than 25
Years Ago . . .
. . . the idea of preserving the history of women in aviation
was just a dream. Since then, memorabilia and historical
artifacts have been collected, preserved and stored. Today
this dream is a reality. The International Women's
Air & Space Museum, Inc., opened in March 1986,
in Centerville, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. Since that time
we have grown and expanded and were welcomed by the
City of Cleveland, Ohio in 1998, where you will find our
home at Burke Lakefront Airport. Our exhibits are in the
lobby at Burke, as well as the west concourse, and are accessible
seven days a week. Since we are located in a public building,
museum admission is free!
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Did You Know?
Napoleon appointed a woman, Madame Blanchard, as his Chief
Air Minister of Ballooning in 1804. Women have a long history
of active participation in ballooning. For instance,
Connie Wolf, long-time balloonist, loaned her balloon to the
motion picture producers of the movie "Around the World in
80 Days." You'll find an exhibit that tells her story
at the museum. |
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Katharine Wright
The Wright Brothers' sister, although not a pilot herself,
encouraged and supported her brothers. She was one of the
many "silent" women contributing to the advancement of aviation.
A special exhibit on Katharine Wright is on display at the
Museum. It is one of many exhibits which illustrate the historic
achievements of women in aviation. |
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An Adventurous Era!
Throughout the 1920s and 30s women were wing-walking, barnstorming,
racing their way through aviation history. The most recognized
woman pilot of this era, Amelia Earhart, is the focus of an
exhibit at the Museum. The museum displays her flight
suit and nurse's uniform from WWI, among other things.
A contemporary of Earhart in the early days was Nancy Hopkins
Tier, former President of the International Women's Air &
Space Museum. Ruth Nichols was Earhart's friend and fellow
aviator. The Ruth Nichols collection, including the
tail of her Lockheed Akita, is housed at the museum. |
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War!
World War II demonstrated women's value to their countries'
defense. England and the U.S. employed women pilots to fill
jobs ordinarily restricted to men - to ferry aircraft from
the factories to the airfield, to test aircraft, to pilot
transports, to tow targets, etc. The WASP (Women Air Force
Service Pilots) were a group of brave and patriotic American
women. Thirty-eight WASP gave their lives in service
to the United States during WWII. These women were the
forerunners of today's military women in aviation. |
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Fast Flying - - -
The jet age did not leave women behind. Flying faster than
sound, Jacqueline Cochran (U.S.) and Jacqueline Auriol (France)
attained significant advances in aviation. They paved the
way for women today to achieve military and airline flight
status. |
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A New Frontier!
Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union was the first woman
to orbit the earth in 1963. As early as 1961, the United States
had 13 women with the "right stuff." Those first astronaut
trainees pioneered the way for women to fully participate
in the U.S. space program today. The legacy of their hard
work paid off 22 years later, in 1983, with Sally Ride, the
first American woman to fly in space. Her flight is documented
at the Museum. |
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