Wright Brothers National Memorial

This was my second visit. We arrived an hour before closing, and I was still ok paying the entry fee, but the officer on duty told me about a card for veterans and three guests to get lifetime access to National Parks, and he even gave me card after checking my ID, so the wife and I (and our dog) got in no charge. Thank you. Also nice, we didn't get a hard time bringing our dog like we did last time we visited.The National Park Service has done a great job preserving this historic location. It's spotless and the displays are fascinating. I hope to have the opportunity to visit again.

This is an absolutely must visit for individuals, families, kids and adults! How can you pass up visiting the site where history was made that changed the world. The visitor center is setup very well and if you can catch one of the Ranger's presentations it's worth the wait. If you're lucky, you'll be able to catch a small propeller plane using the active runway. They don't sell food. So bring some just in case. There are picnic tables throughout the grounds. Restrooms are available. Download the National Park Service app and you can use the audio tour for free.

I'm a sucker for cool museums and this one might be small, but it is definitely worth a visit. We've been here before, but it was a number of years ago while they were renovating the museum. At the time the monument was still open and they were doing presentations in a tent, sitting under the tent was extremely uncomfortable though, being August. This time, we visited on an incredibly rainy day. The ranger at the gate told us that 90% of the complex is outdoors and we could turn around and leave if we want, since it was pouring down rain. But since we had seen the outside things before and missed the museum, we decided to just go ahead and visit the museum and kept our receipt so we could return within 7 days if we wanted to come back and see the outside things. Cost to enter is $10 for adults, free for children. I don't remember off the top of my head what the age is for children to get in free, but I'm sure it's listed on their website. The museum is wonderful! It isn't very big but they have a topo map of the area, as well as a room with a timeline of the Wright brothers lives and endeavors. The centerpiece of the museum is a life sized model Wright flyer. All around the model is information about how it works and how the Wright brothers developed it. The real highlight of the museum for us was the ranger who did the demonstration and presentation. He did a quick demonstration of how the Wright flyer moves, and then about half an hour later, he did a full presentation of their lives and journey to be first in flight. It was fantastic, the ranger was very engaging and it's always nice to hear an engaging presentation rather than having to read and digest all that information rapid fire. We were able to go outside briefly during a break in the rain. Immediately outside of the museum is the area where the Wright brothers lived and worked on their flyer after bringing it down from Ohio. They have a "runway" of sorts showing markers for the take-off point and then points of landing for their first, second, third, and fourth flights. That is all within very easy walking distance of the museum.The final section of the complex is the big memorial up on the hill and the metal recreation of the scene which you can walk to, but most would probably prefer to drive. There are two parking lots at the base of the hill and you can walk up the hill to the monument. On the other side of the monument is the metal scene, it features the flyer, the brothers, and the other individuals who were present, all cast in metal and set up there for you to take pictures with. We saw this in the past but this time we just drove around it and stayed in the car because it had started raining again. If you've never been here before you should definitely visit.

Great Stop, while vitiating the Outer Banks in N.C.Visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial during Memorial day weekend - What a cool place to see where the Pioneers of Flight - Orvile & Wilbur Wright flew the first successful airplane in 1903.The stop is a National Park so if you have a National Park pass entry is free.The park has a Welcome Center full of pictures showcasing the history of the process on how the Wright Brothers reached their first flight(s) On December 17th 1903, the brothers attempted four flights in total the last flight being the longest and the beginning of aviation history.This feet is noted as the first sustained & controlled flight of a powered aircraft.In the Welcome center they have an actual size replica of their plane "Wright Flier" - its pretty to cool to check out.As with any National Park you'll find Park Rangers with an information area along with a gift store.You can take a walking tour with a Ranger for free they have a schedule you can find inside at the information area.Outside of the Welcome Center there's a short walk to airfield and path that leads up to a monument placed at the top of Kill Devil Hill which is the location where they started each flight.When walking to the airfield you'll pass by an area that has replicated the housing and staging buildings during the era of the time when preparing for their flights.The walking path (concrete path) leads up to the monument, as you walk along the airfield you'll pass along flight markers marking the distance of each flight attempt.The park is open 7 days a week and if you dont have a pass the cost is not expensive at all.The only day the Park is closed is Christmas Day.plenty of parkingWe really enjoyed our visit and it was great walk,

This is a great location. It was very cool be to able to walk the length of their flight attempts and successes. If you get a chance to hear the presentation please do, it was informative & engaging. Thankful we finally made it to this awesome National Park and slice of American history.

"A soul in tension that's learning to flyThere's no sensation to compare with thisSuspended animation, a state of bliss"(Pink Floyd)When I walked into the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA a few years ago, I felt the spirit of greatness around me. I had the same sensation of awe when I toured the Mark Twain House in Hartford and paid my respects at the Albert Einstein memorial in Princeton, NJ.I felt that spirit again last week when I toured the museum and grounds of the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, NC. It was one of the greatest museums and monuments I've ever seen.There are three components to the attraction.The first is the museum itself where you learn about the Wright family, brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright, and the evolution of their idea to create a machine that would fly. They studied weather maps of the U. S. and chose Kitty Hawk as their testing ground for unpowered (glided) and powered flight because of its combination of wind, sand, and isolation. The museum is incredible, and they have a life-sized replica of man's first flying machine.The second component is a huge monument that stands upon a gigantic sand dune known as the "Big Hill". The Wright brothers tested gliders from the hill, and after they flew, they'd lug them up the hill, make refinements, and take off again. There is a spectacular monument on the hill dedicated to the historic day of December 17, 1903, when Wilbur piloted man's first flight of a power-driven, heavier-than-air machine. The monument was started in 1928 and was dedicated by U.S. Congress in 1932. There are busts of the Wright brothers on the back of the monument.The third component shows the progress made in the four earliest powered flights. They took off from the flat ground between the museum and the Big Hill, and that location is marked by the First Flight Boulder. The four flights are represented by a "Flight Line" marking their distances with smaller boulders marking the steady progress of those flights. Each effort showed an improvement in distance as the brothers tinkered with wing design to simulate the balance and control of birds and the pulleys and levers they used for steering and control.Their first flight covered 120 feet and lasted 12 seconds. Their second flight covered 175 feet.Their third flight covered 200 feet.Their fourth covered 852 feet and lasted 59 seconds.I found it incredibly moving to see the flight line and imagine the joy they felt as man lifted off the ground in a machine and flew for the first time.

Stopped here for a visit - only had about an hour to spend. Was able to walk thru the museum and check out the out outside cabins/our buildings along with the markers of the first flights. Definitely worth stopping for a visit - was pretty cool to see!

Lots of cool history surrounding the birth of flight. Nice walking areas and reproduction flight contraptions.

We had been here several years ago, and they have really improved the visitors center. We really enjoyed reading the information within the visitors center. Very well laid out and they even have a full size replica of the plane. They also had small models of the earlier versions they tried. Outside they have clearly marked where the first (as well as second, third and fourth) flight took off and where each one landed, which really gave you a good perspective. You can also walk up a small hill which offers a nice view. Just behind the hill is another mock up, but this is a mock up of the first photograph. We thought it was worth the walk to go see.

A nice afternoon while in OBX. Quite informative and quick enough that it keeps attention of all ages.