A new exhibit opened on Feb. 3 at the Opelika Public Library. Aim High: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen featuring Black Wings: American Dreams in Flight is now open until April 28.
The exhibit is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aim High is an hands-on, interactive exhibit created by the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum. The Opelika Public Library is renting it for the spring, according to the library’s Community Relations Specialist, Anna Jones.
“Since we are so close to Tuskegee, we thought this [exhibit] would be a great one to bring over. We thought it could get people familiar with the facts of it and hopefully inspire some kids,” Jones said.
For those unfamiliar, the Tuskegee Airmen was the first group of African American military pilots who fought during World War II. Jones hopes that the children who come to see the exhibit will not only have fun playing, but learn some history as well.
“We’ve been able to let kids play, but also learn. We’ve done a fact scavenger hunt so that the kids are engaging with the information and actually getting some knowledge from it,” Jones said.
The exhibit is made up of many components, from a cockpit flight trainer to a makeshift runway complete with wearable wings. The runway and wearable wings have been the most popular items in the exhibit, according to Jones. It allows the children to run around and play pretend.
The exhibit also features Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
The majority of guests at the exhibit have been from local school field trips. Since the grand opening, hundreds of kids have been to the exhibit. According to the library’s Digital Services Specialist, Taylor Money, the exhibit has been running smoothly and people seem to be enjoying it.
“The exhibit has been running really well," Money said. "I’ve seen a variety of people of all ages coming in here and enjoying the exhibit. It’s really funny because you can see the parents catching themselves enjoying the exhibit too."
Money’s favorite part of the exhibit is seeing the kids having fun and being able to let loose – which is something they are always told not to do in a museum or library.
“Our main job here is to let kids be kids. We just let them come in and have a good time, that’s what it’s all about. While they are playing and having fun, they are also learning,” Money said.
Money also said that many children who have visited the Aim High exhibit have talked about their dreams of being a pilot someday. He hopes that they will remember the exhibit and cherish their experience.
“Since the exhibit is about aviation, we hope that it encourages kids to explore that as a point of study. Hopefully they can see themselves in those roles as a pilot or an airmen,” Jones said. “Hopefully it inspires them moving forward to chase those dreams.”
The exhibit is sponsored by Auburn University’s School of Aviation.
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Sam Vise, junior in journalism, is the community reporter for The Auburn Plainsman.
