Take Flight at the Hiller Aviation Museum

The Hiller Aviation Museum catalogs a visual bounty of flight history over the past century and offers a glimpse into the future of aviation.

The 27,600 square foot main gallery showcases over forty full-sized aircraft, interactive displays, (including the high-tech simulation experience, the Flight Sim Zone,) and flight-related exhibits from as far back as 1869. The 8,000 square foot atrium comprises more than a dozen scaled models including a full-sized replica of the Wright Brothers 1903 Flyer, the original being housed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The remains of the Thaden T-1 Argonaut, an eight seat, aluminum aircraft constructed by Thaden Metal Aircraft Company of San Francisco is also on display. The single Argonaut aircraft was built in 1928, ending with its final flight in 1933, when it crashed in Alaska. Over half a century later, the wreckage was recovered and sent to Hiller Aviation Museum where it has resided ever since.

Other aircraft found at this local aviation museum include the Hiller XH-44, the first coaxial helicopter to fly in the United States, the 1955 experimental Hiller VZ-1 Pawnee Flying Platform as well as the anterior forty-five feet of a Boeing 747.

In addition to its focus on vintage and futuristic aircraft and prototypes, the museum sponsors the helicopter-centric Vertical Challenge Air Show in June at the San Carlos Airport. Hiller also offers a multitude of educational programs including Aviation Camps, the Dream Rocket Art Exhibition, and special Aviation Adventure Days, the next of which is Polar Pilots held on January 15, 2015.

Located at 601 Skyway Blvd in San Carlos, just off of highway 101 and minutes from Redwood City and Menlo Park, the Hiller Aviation Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Visit their website for details on admission, membership, and their amazing aviation exhibitions and programs.