Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinville, Oregon ![]() Photos from our visit Evergreen Aviation Museum is the theme park of aviation museums, literally, with a new water park opening in June. I really wanted to ride the slide out of the 747 emergency exit! Maybe next time. The museum is really the spirit of the founder of Evergreen International Airlines, Delford M. Smith and his son, Captain Michael King Smith. It grew out of their personal collection of warbirds. With the tragic death of Captain Smith in an automobile accident in 1995 the museum has become a sort of memorial in his memory.
The center of the main hangar is taken up by the H-4 Hercules, or Spruce Goose, and there are probably 100 or so other aircraft place around or hanging above this plane. It is huge of course - the span of the elevator is longer then the wingspan of the B-17. It is really great to walk around and inside this behemoth and the concept of making something this size out of mostly birch plywood is almost unimaginable. Overall it is a fantastic selection of aircraft that look like they are factory new. In addition to the aircraft museum there is a new and growing space and rocket collection in its own new building and an iMax theater as well. Surrounding the museum is a vineyard with the some of the resulting wines bottled under the Spruce Goose label. This place ended up being one of the most fun and friendly museums we have visited yet on this trip.
Thanks for following my travels. Steven Howandwww.DiecastAirplane.com |