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Merit Badges > Digital Resource Guides > Aviation >  4.D

Aviation Merit Badge

Digital Resource Guide

Visit an aviation museum or attend an air show. Report on your impressions of the museum or show, and what you learned from the experience.

Visiting an aviation museum is a fantastic way to explore the history, technology, and significance of aviation in a hands-on and engaging environment. Here’s how to plan a visit:

Steps to Organize a Museum Visit

  • Find a Nearby Aviation Museum

    1. Use directories like the Smithsonian Affiliations or search for local museums that focus on aviation or aerospace.
    2. Popular examples include:

  • Book the Tour

    1. Group Tours: Inquire about Scout-friendly group tours, or specialized activities.
    2. Hands-On Exhibits: Ask about flight simulators, aircraft walk-throughs, or interactive displays.
    3. Workshops and Programs: Some museums offer STEM workshops or merit badge-specific activities.
    4. Hands-On Experiences: Sit in cockpits (if allowed) or use interactive exhibits like flight simulators or VR experiences. Examine the mechanics of aircraft engines, navigation tools, or aerodynamics demonstrations.
    5. Live Demonstrations: Some museums have live aircraft demonstrations or restoration workshops – ask in advance, and perhaps even plan around special events!
    6. Temporary Exhibits: Check for traveling exhibits that might align with Scout interests (e.g., space exploration or drone technology).
Remember!

Leave yourself some time to just walk around and explore! 

As always, make sure you thank your hosts for their time, and ideally write them a thank-you note, including what you enjoyed most about the tour.

Remember!

Leave yourself some time to just walk around and explore! 

As always, make sure you thank your hosts for their time, and ideally write them a thank-you note, including what you enjoyed most about the tour.

Finding Air Show Opportunities

  • Search Online for Local Events, using websites like:

  • Check Regional Airports

    Many local airports host annual open houses, air shows, or fly-ins. Contact nearby airports directly to inquire about their event schedules.

  • Check Regional Airports

    • EAA Chapters: Reach out to your local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. They often know of air shows and other aviation-related events.
    • Civil Air Patrol (CAP): CAP units sometimes participate in air shows and can provide information.

Which museums have you ever visited? Check all that apply.

Min votes count should be 1

Our military pilots are some of the best in the world – and many of them perform at air shows that may only be a short drive away from where you live!

Go To 5.A

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.