After acquiring Muriel—the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E and identical model to the plane Amelia Earhart piloted on her final flight—the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation’s longtime vision for a first-of-its-kind museum took flight in April with integrator Dimensional Innovations (DI) in the pilot's seat. Foundation stakeholders turned to DI and DI Build, as well as content partners Turnkey Education and Museum EXP, to create the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum (AEHM), a tech-focused, inspirational exhibit inside the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport (K59) in Atchison, KS.
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Utilizing virtual reality, hands-on learning, interactive games, and more, the museum’s blend of immersive exhibits transcends the typical educational experience. Decorated in the nostalgic art deco style from the early years of flight, AEHM draws visitors into Earhart’s bold world of exploration, curiosity, and wonder.
“When we plan to integrate any AV components within a museum or cultural setting, we always consider the purpose that technology will serve and how it further enhances the museum-goer’s experience," noted Weston Owen, senior PR and communications manager, Dimensional Innovations. " It’s become second nature to want integrated technology, but we’re very conscious of its functionality—specifically, how an interactive educates or enlightens and if it is approachable. Regardless of age or ability, everyone should be able to learn and enjoy an experience, so that is always assessed early in the development process."
Careers and Constellations
Inside the gallery, the journey begins where Earhart began hers—as a young girl with a pioneering spirit and hunger for adventure. Real-life stories, audio interactives, digital kiosks, and imagery tell the story of Earhart’s curious youth. Visitors can flip through a digital scrapbook, listen to accounts of Earhart’s relatives using an antique telephone, or read what some of her most famous friends had to say about the aviation pioneer. DI used products and solutions from several manufacturers throughout the museum, including SnapAV power management, Crestron video transport, LG displays. QSC audio, and TSItouch touchscreens.
After a young Amelia was told she couldn’t ride a roller coaster, she went home and built her own. Always seeking another thrilling adventure, Earhart experimented with her homemade roller coaster, making the appropriate adjustments to achieve a longer ride. A modern roller coaster sits on the gallery floor; visitors are encouraged to manually crank the cars up the track and watch them glide down and around for a visual lesson in physics and mechanics.
The interactive, augmented reality (AR) “Careers” invites visitors to visualize themselves in numerous historical and modern-day professions that Earhart employed to support her passion for flying. Whether choosing a pilot, nurse, fashion designer, or mechanic, participants step in front of a gesture-reactive screen. Then, a digital image of their face is overlaid on a lifelike avatar that not only mirrors their movements but shows how they’d look in the uniform of their career choice.
The hangar’s mezzanine puts visitors among the stars for further exploration through digital, visual, and hands-on interactives. “Amelia’s Guiding Lights” unveils how Amelia's navigator, Fred Noonan, used constellations and celestial cues to navigate flight paths. Visitors can learn and practice celestial navigation using a replica sextant, analyze different cloud and atmospheric layers, and get an up-close look at some of the authentic tech and tools of her time.
"We created a 'constellation cloud,' or a very large light pan showing several stars and constellations. “From a button panel below, visitors can select their favorite constellations, which are then displayed on a screen to educate the user about their origin and place in the night sky. Then, as they look up, an animation of their chosen constellation is illuminated in the LED light stars above,” explained Chris Riebschlager, director of creative technology, Dimensional Innovations. “The scale and complexity of this light setup were very challenging for the team, but it looks incredible and functions perfectly. Hopefully it inspires young and old to gaze into the night sky and find the constellations for themselves.”
A comprehensive timeline wall and 3D holograms illustrate the evolution and mechanical innovation of flight, all in comparison to Earhart’s life. Visitors can explore two aircraft engines through a capacitive display. When participants touch one of the mounted engine pieces, an animated illustration will appear on the screen above to showcase how it functions. Ready to see it all in action? Press the button to watch and hear the engines roar.
While she may look like the real deal, an onsite lifelike portrayal of Earhart took more than 1,000 combined hours of extensive research, AI technology, and computation to create. To bring the unique experience to life, the DI team used innovative technology that combines archival photos and videos with human talent to ensure the animated portrayal of Earhart was as charismatic, authentic, and realistic as possible.
Flying Lessons
Visitors can also crouch into the pilot’s seat inside an imitation Muriel cockpit equipped with flight controls to get a real sense of Amelia’s cramped flying quarters. Outside the flight deck is a real-life Garmin G1000 avionics suite and touchscreen dashboard, where visitors can see the advancements since Amelia's era. The nearby "Feminine Feats” section features women in aviation who continue to prove their passion and conviction for flight.
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Guests can also put their precision and mechanical eye to the test in an interactive quest to restore Muriel. Players must use the prop rivet gun to hover over each blue “ice box rivet” until it turns white before moving to the next. Whoever secures the most rivets with the most precision wins.
The mezzanine also explores the age-old question: What happened to Amelia Earhart on that fateful flight? Popular theories of her mysterious disappearance line the wall, ultimately leaving visitors to vote using the touchscreen monitor on which theory they believe.
Plus, visitors can put their flying skills to the test in a virtual reality (VR) flight experience. Each station is equipped with two steering yokes and VR headsets. Players embark on a digital yet lifelike flight path of Earhart’s, piloting to either land successfully in Paris or reroute to Derry, Ireland.
“One of our challenges was creating an incredibly durable, headset-based virtual reality flight simulation. Knowing this activation was public-facing, we had to be mindful of developing a remarkable experience that was also resistant to the wear and tear from the end user,” recalled Riebschlager. “Extending the connections to the headset was not an option, so the PCs driving this experience had to be local to the exhibit. This means we had to create a vented and secure home for the PC and other equipment in the ‘nose cone’ of the plane we built for this installation.”
The journey concludes inside the museum’s mini theater, with a closing video that emphasizes the museum's key message of inspiration, dedication, and perseverance. Visitors of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to dream big, challenge the status quo, and reach for the sky, just as Earhart did.
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Every element of the museum is designed to be a fun academic experience that takes students’ knowledge of flight to new heights—an opportunity they can’t get inside the classroom. DI wanted the museum not only to be innovative and inspiring, but also historically accurate and educational with an emphasis on STEM disciplines.
DI worked alongside Turnkey Education to collaborate with student and teacher focus groups to better understand how the museum could engage students of all ages, particularly those in remote, rural communities, while meeting national, Kansas, and Missouri educational standards. "Partnering with DI on this state-of-the-art history and STEM museum, we'll be able to help give a glimpse into her life in a way never before experienced," said Karen Seaberg, AHEM founder and president.
