South Dakota Air and Space Museum
Since the start of time, soaring though the sky has always been a dream for mankind. Ever since the first flight by the Wright brothers, there has always been a fascination with pushing the boundaries in aviation technology. At the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, patrons can walk through this history, while the focus of the museum is military aircraft. This museum has something for everyone.
Why the Museum Came to Be
To know about the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, first we must look at where it is located and how it came to be there. It is found at the main gate of Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder, South Dakota. Ellsworth Air Force Base was founded by the army just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. At first it was intended to be just a training site during World War 2, when Ellsworth was reopened in March of 1947.
The Air Force saw Ellsworth as a good place for the 28th bomber wing to be stationed. Upon further improvements, the 1960s saw further expansion of Ellsworth’s role as a pillar in our nuclear deterrent strategy. Ellsworth is a great example of how an army air force base, that was only supposed to be used during the war, has changed and evolved into a modern-day center for the United States Air force and its goals around the world.
The Current Museum
To tell not only this story but also the story of many different eras of aviation history, the South Dakota Air and Space Museum is a great place to go and learn. At the Museum there are over 25 different air crafts that have changed the world into what it is today. It is an attraction that can appeal to many different types of people of all ages. At the museum, people can take a tour of Ellsworth Air Force Base, which will take the people into a minute man missile silo that is near the base.
Since the start of time, soaring though the sky has always been a dream for mankind. Ever since the first flight by the Wright brothers, there has always been a fascination with pushing the boundaries in aviation technology. At the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, patrons can walk through this history, while the focus of the museum is military aircraft. This museum has something for everyone.
Why the Museum Came to Be
To know about the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, first we must look at where it is located and how it came to be there. It is found at the main gate of Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder, South Dakota. Ellsworth Air Force Base was founded by the army just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. At first it was intended to be just a training site during World War 2, when Ellsworth was reopened in March of 1947.
The Air Force saw Ellsworth as a good place for the 28th bomber wing to be stationed. Upon further improvements, the 1960s saw further expansion of Ellsworth’s role as a pillar in our nuclear deterrent strategy. Ellsworth is a great example of how an army air force base, that was only supposed to be used during the war, has changed and evolved into a modern-day center for the United States Air force and its goals around the world.
The Current Museum
To tell not only this story but also the story of many different eras of aviation history, the South Dakota Air and Space Museum is a great place to go and learn. At the Museum there are over 25 different air crafts that have changed the world into what it is today. It is an attraction that can appeal to many different types of people of all ages. At the museum, people can take a tour of Ellsworth Air Force Base, which will take the people into a minute man missile silo that is near the base.