Wright Brothers National Memorial, National museum in Kill Devil Hills, United States
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is a museum in Kill Devil Hills on North Carolina's coast that marks where powered flight was first achieved. A 60-foot granite monument sits atop a 90-foot hill overlooking the historic site.
The site marks December 17, 1903, when Wilbur and Orville Wright completed four consecutive powered flights with their aircraft. This day is considered the birth of modern aviation and came after years of research and testing.
The visitor center displays original tools and a reproduction of the wind tunnel that the Wright brothers used for their experiments. The exhibits show how hands-on and methodical their approach to aviation was before achieving powered flight.
The museum is open daily throughout the year except on December 25, with ranger-led programs explaining powered flight development. Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes since exploring the grounds involves climbing the hill and walking across the site.
Small stone markers placed on the ground trace the exact flight paths and distances of the four first powered flights completed on that historic day. Visitors can see firsthand how brief these groundbreaking flights actually were, underscoring the brothers' persistence and determination.
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