Jose Gonzalez
HUM2020 210
Due to the current Covid-19 cases present around the world, all of our prodigious
museums have momentarily shut down. That being said, I supposed it would be an excellent
opportunity to virtually experience museums I would otherwise not be able to. I will be visiting
the Smithsonian National Museum of American History virtual tour that encompasses “The
American Presidency: A Glorious Burden”. I will also be visiting the National Air and Space
Museum virtual tour. Although these two subjects may seem very disparate, I can guarantee that
both have very interesting similarities and differences. The American Presidency exhibition lays
out the Foundations, Campaign Trail, Life and Death in the White House, and Communicating
the Presidency. The National air and space Museum depict the last 117 years of lighter than air
aircraft.
From the first time that Orville and Wilbur Wright took flight near Kitty Hawk North
Carolina to the most sophisticated aircraft of today are all exhibited in the National Air and
Space Museum. Thousands of articles are on exhibition at this museum and thanks to virtual
tours we are able to experience this from the wellbeing of our home, I will commence with
“Wright brothers and invention of the Ariel age” National Air and Space Museum. This part of
the tour informs us how on December 17th, 1903 the Wright brothers were to make their mark on
history in formulating the first powered heavier than air machine to sustain flight. Following
many unsuccessful endeavors and countless hours researching model wings, framework, and
understanding what the ‘forefathers of flight’ had to offer, who were Otto Lilienthal and Sir
George Cayley, the Wright brothers were ultimately able to scheme together a glider that was
qualified of maintaining flight in 1902. One year later in December of 1903 was when the
Wright brothers made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk in the first powered aircraft, thus marking
their place in history as the creators of the first successful airplane. The National Air and Space
Museum did an amazing job in depicting how Orville and Wilbur Wright rose from being
bicycle shop owners to the first men to manufacture a powered lighter than air aircraft. The
virtual tour the National Air and Space Museum had to offer allowed me to see the glider that the
Wright brothers flew on December 17th, 1903 in Kitty Hawk North Carolina.
Not only was I able to see the first ever aircraft, I was also able to see the space suit that
Neil Armstrong used on his Apollo 11 mission. Through the virtual tour I learned that the suit
had recently undergone a very intensive preservation procedure in order to safeguard the suit
while on exhibition. State of the art display and a unique mannequin were prepared in order for
this suit to be on display. The virtual tour at the National Air and Space Museum also allowed
