The Tulsa Air and Space Museum (TASM) is an aerospace museum in Tulsa that is dedicated to preserving Oklahoma’s significant aerospace heritage and inspiring science-based learning through discovery. Located on the grounds of the Tulsa International Airport, the Museum features 19,000 square feet of historical exhibits, vintage aircraft, and interactive, educational displays. The museum is also home to a full-dome planetarium, which was the first ever built in Tulsa, and boasts modern educational facilities school and scout groups and summer camps. The Museum also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including Tulsa Centennial Airshow, the TASM Air and Rocket Racing Show, the National Air Tour, Defender Days and many other fly-in events.
History
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum was established in a 1940s hangar on the Spartan School of Aeronautics’ campus in 1998 with the aim of preserving Oklahoma’s significant aerospace heritage and inspiring science-based learning through discovery. Due to its extensive growth, the Museum moved to its current location at the Tulsa International Airport in 2005 and opened the James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium – the first in Tulsa - a year later. In 2013, a state-of-the-art interactive Discovery Center was added to the fold, including a gift from American Airlines – an MD-80 aircraft. Today, the Tulsa Air and Space Museum is one of the city’s most popular tourist attraction and has seen over half a million visitors come through its doors to explore the historical exhibits, enjoy hands-on science exhibits, take a ride in the computer flight simulator lab, and discover full-dome planetarium shows. The Museum also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including Tulsa Centennial Airshow, the TASM Air and Rocket Racing Show, the National Air Tour, Defender Days and many other fly-in events.
Collections / Exhibits
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum’s collections focus primarily on Tulsa's aviation history, and permanent exhibits include The Early Birds, The Golden Age, World War II, Survivors, The Jet Age, The Space Age and other hands-on exhibits.
The Early Birds explores Oklahoma’s aviation history; it’s early aviation pioneers and the aerospace industry. Signature features of this exhibit include the Star Cavalier, which floats above the space, a smoke filled-balloon, and a replica of Tulsa’s first airport terminal, the McIntyre Hanger.
The Golden Age takes visitors back in time to the 1930s in a recreated Art Deco-style Tulsa Municipal Airport terminal. This outstanding exhibit explores the Golden Age of flight and features a Spartan NP-1, a crank-start bi-plane used to train U.S. Navy reserve units.
World War II delves into the role Oklahoma played in the Second World War and features pilot logs and read accounts from local men who served during World War II and the Spartan Executive, the last civilian aircraft Spartan ever made. Visitors can meet the crew of the Tulsamerican, the last B-24 bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Company during WWII, and hear the story and the fate of this plane during the war.
The Survivors exhibit tells the incredible stories of the brave Oklahomans who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and other war experiences via a short documentary film.
The Jet Age focuses on essential pioneers in the aviation industry such as the Douglas Aircraft Company, the Spartan Aircraft Company, American Airlines, and Boeing and features an Engines exhibit with a range of aircraft engines from the first mass-produced jet engine to the engines used in commercial air travel today.
The Space Age exhibit features NASA artifacts and showcases local Oklahoma astronauts with interactive displays where children can ‘launch a space shuttle’ and see what’s like to work in space using a space shuttle robotic arm.
Other hands-on exhibits include a Rockwell Ranger 2000 jet trainer, and an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, both of which can be explored from observation platforms, and a Viper F-16 Wind Tunnel which allows visitors to experience pitch, roll, and yaw using rudder pedals and a control stick as if flying a plane. Featured aircraft at the Museum include a Schleicher Ka-6e, an XTC (Ecstasy), and a Spartan C-2, Bell 47K Helicopter.
MD-80 Discovery Center
The MD-80 Discovery Center is based in the MD-80 airliner that was donated to the Museum by American Airlines and features hourly MD-80 tours and MD-80 flight experiences in the MD-80 Flight Theater.
Educational Programs
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium provides science-based learning opportunities for children of all ages with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
Visitor Information
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum is located at the Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa and is open to the public from Monday through Saturday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and
3624 N 74th E Ave, Tulsa, OK 74115, Phone: 918-834-9900
