Pratt & Whitney Centennial

Aviation history is rich with innovation and hard work. This project includes seven exhibits that showcase the driving forces behind the evolution of aerospace, nestled among a large collection of real planes throughout the museum. Two full-size, immersive dioramas bring visitors back in time: A garage from the 1920s, where Andrew Willgoos developed the Wasp engine, and a Cold-War-era classroom, like one that kids were instructed to “duck and cover”. Three cases hold artifacts of innovation, such as documents from Amelia Earhart and a 1920’s micrometer. Two kiosks surround the real J58 engine on display, discussing both the desperate history of its invention and the mechanism by which it was able to break records in speed and elevation.