Museum of HistoryMiami

On July 20, 1911, all of Miami gathered to witness an extraordinary event. Hired by Mayor Everest Sewell, aviator Howard Gill climbed into the cockpit of a wood and cloth-winged biplane furnished by the Wright Brothers and flew it up, up and away into the blue skies above the Miami Golf Links - performing the very first flight in the area. The rest, as they say, is history.

Aviation in Miami: The First 100 Years goes behind-the-scenes to explore the extensive engagement Greater Miami and its residents have had with the industry since this historic first flight. The exhibition addresses the evolving concerns of the aviation industry throughout the twentieth century and how they were tackled by developers, promoters, pilots and the hundreds of thousands of Miamians who were involved in the field.

On view are artifacts from famous aviators such as Glen Curtiss, Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker and Amelia Earhart and airlines such as Pan American World Airways and Eastern Airlines.

*Please note that the Aviation in Miami exhibition will be on hiatus between January 6 and February 22, 2012.