Northwest Airlines History Center

Northwest Airlines History Center Visit our Museum at the Crowne Plaza AIRE in Bloomington, MN near MSP Airport and the Mall of America

Our Mission: To preserve and display the memory of Northwest Airlines' exciting and colorful history.

TV commercial storyboard for the 1979 Republic merger - you can hear the "we've gotten together" jingle in your mind as ...
06/12/2026

TV commercial storyboard for the 1979 Republic merger - you can hear the "we've gotten together" jingle in your mind as you read through! This document is one of many in several Bankers' boxes of Hal Carr's files donated to us by the Carr family.

Now, you don't have to have been a president to contribute materials to our museum! New gems keep getting uncovered every month from families working through their parents' attics and retirees looking to unload. Whether you may have physical items, or want to pitch in to help us keep artifacts safe, documented, and displayed, head over to https://northwestairlineshistory.org/join-us/ to see how to contribute.

Route map excerpt and cover for the January 1, 1937 timetable for Northwest Airlines, with the fastest route between Chi...
06/10/2026

Route map excerpt and cover for the January 1, 1937 timetable for Northwest Airlines, with the fastest route between Chicago and Seattle. All-metal Lockheed Electra 10A equipment was used on all routes at this date, with two round trips available daily to Seattle, and four daily round trips between Chicago and the Twin Cities.

If you'd like to explore our extensive photo gallery for the Electra, go to https://northwestairlineshistory.org/aircraft-lockheed-10a-electra/

And our massive digital collection of Northwest timetables can be found at https://northwestairlineshistory.org/timetables-northwest/

While there, please consider becoming a member! For just $35 per year, not only will you help underwrite our work but you'll also receive our quarterly newsletter, REFLECTIONS, full of stories from history as well as updates on the museum.

On the road … had an excellent visit this week with our friends at the Aviodrome museum in Lelystad, Netherlands. Huge a...
06/10/2026

On the road … had an excellent visit this week with our friends at the Aviodrome museum in Lelystad, Netherlands. Huge archives that will soon be absorbing even more KLM material, and an exciting set of public spaces containing LOTS of aircraft! They’re an inspiration for what we hope to evolve to, and we look forward to cooperating with them in telling stories of the NWA-KLM alliance!

I spent four hours there & could easily have done another four - they have a cafe on-site and many activities for kids to burn energy. It’s about 45 minutes east of central Amsterdam by car; I did it in about 90 via public transit (change of trains halfway out + a bus ride). They charge admission of about 17€ but there is a discount for advance purchase, and kids get in at a lower rate.

Lelystad is a general-aviation reliever airport with flight schools & some corporate activity and is supposed to be getting commercial flights next year - there is a four-gate terminal across the runway from the museum already constructed but vacant. Possibility of military operations starting as well - all to cope with operational caps and congested skies at Schiphol.

Aviodrome

06/08/2026

I've always appreciated the times when I'm the only person in a big stretch of the terminal, just watching the automation and existing in the liminal twilight zone.

Do you enjoy this as well, or does the experience tip the other way into an unsettling "Backrooms" vibe?

We’re recruiting volunteers to join our museum staff aswe celebrate the 100th anniversary of commercial airservice in Mi...
06/05/2026

We’re recruiting volunteers to join our museum staff as
we celebrate the 100th anniversary of commercial air
service in Minnesota.

Our volunteers enjoy museum discounts, free parking,
and the flexibility to contribute as their schedule
permits. This opportunity is ideal for students, seniors,
and anyone who enjoys air travel, and would like to
help us connect generations through the histories of
the many airlines that we share.

The museum’s located in Bloomington, MN and you
can use this link to let us know you’d like to learn
more!
https://northwestairlineshistory.org/volunteer-form/

All aboard for luncheon adventure and meeting up with old friends on the St. Croix River! Make your reservations now - a...
06/03/2026

All aboard for luncheon adventure and meeting up with old friends on the St. Croix River! Make your reservations now - and we'll see you in Stillwater the morning of Thursday, June 18.

Also - come by our museum in the Crowne Plaza AiRE Hotel in Bloomington the afternoon before. We'll have snacks and beverages for our Open House starting at 3 pm on Wednesday, June 17.

Play ball! It's the cover of the June 1, 1961 timetable for North Central, in front of that issue's route map. North Cen...
06/01/2026

Play ball! It's the cover of the June 1, 1961 timetable for North Central, in front of that issue's route map. North Central had moved to Minneapolis just a few years earlier, and now the Minnesota Twins baseball team was their new neighbor! Convair 340s were making flying faster and more comfortable for the company's passengers, leading to substantial improvements in people flown and freight carried.

We have a new landing page for North Central, where you can read more company history and then explore schedules, aircraft, biographies, financial reports, brochures and more! Like Herman, fly on over to https://northwestairlineshistory.org/north-central/

Route map and cover of the Hughes Airwest timetable for December 15, 1971. This issue introduced RW's bold new "Sundance...
05/26/2026

Route map and cover of the Hughes Airwest timetable for December 15, 1971. This issue introduced RW's bold new "Sundance" livery and corporate identity, created by industrial designer Mario Zamparelli.

Our new landing page for RW at https://northwestairlineshistory.org/hughes-airwest-air-west/ is your starting point to explore timetables and route maps, aircraft, financial reports, and employee newsletters!

Also check out our logo gear at our online shop while you're at our website. Your support through merchandise and memberships helps us keep telling the stories and expanding public awareness of the Air West family of carriers.

Don't miss the boat! - The annual "RNPA Cruise" on the St. Croix River takes place Thursday, June 18th, departing from h...
05/25/2026

Don't miss the boat! - The annual "RNPA Cruise" on the St. Croix River takes place Thursday, June 18th, departing from historic Stillwater, MN. Folks, family, and friends from NWA, Republic, Airlink, aviation suppliers & vendors are most welcome on board.

Also make a date for an open house at our museum in Bloomington, MN starting 3 pm on Wednesday, June 17, with light appetizers and beverages. Many updates have been made, so it's a great chance to catch up and see something new!

Brand new vinyl stickers in the online shop! I'm heading over to see our counterparts at the Dutch national aviation mus...
05/24/2026

Brand new vinyl stickers in the online shop! I'm heading over to see our counterparts at the Dutch national aviation museum in a couple weeks, so wanted to have something fun to gift them with. This set includes chibi versions of our 747-400 WorldPlane and the "Bowling Shoe" livery, a mighty mini DC-9, and the DC-10 in KLM Alliance joint colors. The small-size sheet has the stickers at about 2.5", the big-size come in at about 5" across. Great for water bottles, laptops and iPad covers, and hard-sided luggage!

Lots of other vinyl sticker designs at shop.northwestairlineshistory.org as well - stock up for summer travel, graduations, and Father's Day :)

Address

Museum: Crowne Plaza AiRE, 3 Appletree Sq. , Bloomington. Administration & Archive: 10100 Flying Cloud Drive , Suite A306, Eden Prairie
Bloomington, MN
55425

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 2pm
Friday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+19526984478

Website

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