College Park Aviation Museum and the Field of Firsts Foundation

08/29/2026

Come on down to check out the car show till 1pm. Did you spot the Batmobile?! Plus Laundry World is bringing the music till noon!

08/25/2026

Back to school at College Park Airport ✈️📚✏️

Here are some photos of instructors and students at the flight school at College Park Airport, circa 1940.

08/19/2026

Have you seen CPAM's diorama? 🛫🌳🚂🚗👨‍✈️

Featured in our main gallery, it depicts College Park Airport in c1911 when it was home to civilian aviators like Rex Smith and the nation's first Army Aviation School!

Behind the hangars you can see the B&O railroad with a train on its way to Washington DC.

Thanks to for the great photos 📸

08/03/2026

Visit College Park Aviation Museum for a demonstration of the Wright B Flyer!

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a…

In 1909, Alexandrians witnessed aviation history. Orville and Wilbur Wright were working to create an aircraft for the US government that could be used for military observation. Testing occurred in Fort Myer in Arlington County. The plane satisfied the government's endurance and carrying capacity requirements, but one trial still remained. Could the Wright Military Flyer travel at 40 mph or faster? If it could, then the government would buy it for $30,000. If not, it was back to the drawing board.

On July 30, 1909, Orville and Lieutenant Benjamin D. Foulois embarked on a 10-mile roundtrip flight from Fort Myer to Alexandria. The turnaround point was Shuter's Hill. There was no Masonic Memorial back then, which meant a large balloon was raised at the location to alert the crew of the turnaround point.

The flight had been advertised in local papers, so a crowd had gathered at the hill. When the plane appeared, the assembled Alexandrians went wild, cheering and waving at Wright and Foulois.

Want to know if the plane made it back to Fort Myer in time? Check out the exhibit about the Wright Brothers’s flight and other stories from Alexandria’s past in our new digital museum: https://alexandria.ahs.yourcultureconnect.com/e/industrial-alexandria/up-in-the-sky-its-a-bird-its-a

Want to see the Wright Military Flyer in person? Good news! It's on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Credit: Keith Ferris Art.

07/29/2026

Earlier this month we hosted our first Runway Ready Cocktails event 🍸🛫

This workshop and specialty exhibit celebrated and shared the stories of the first African American flight attendants.

Guided by a professional bartender, we made two cocktails using recipes directly from a 1960s Delta Stewardess handbook titled, “What Every Stewardess Should Know," donated to the Smithsonian by Ruth Carol Taylor, one of the pioneering flight attendants.

07/23/2026

CPAM's Lakeland Youth Oral History Internship is officially underway!

This summer, students from Parkdale High School are exploring the fundamentals of museum education, oral history, archival research, and community-centered public history. They'll spend the next few weeks interviewing community members for oral histories, working with historical collections, and creating digital projects that celebrate Lakeland's rich history and legacy.

This week, they met our educators and director, toured the Lakeland neighborhood, and visited the exhibition with members of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project.

We can't wait to see what they create!

07/21/2026

Latinas in Aviation:
Flight Plan for My Future Essay Competition

Calling All Prince George's County Students in Grades 6-12

Summer 2026 Essay Prompt:
The women featured in the Latinas in Aviation book series each forged their own path into aviation and aerospace careers. Choose one individual whose story stands out to you. Reflect on the key decisions, challenges, and supports that shaped her journey.

Then, think about your own aspirations. What career or impact do you hope to have in the future? Create a “flight plan” outlining at least three specific steps you can take over the next five years to move closer to your goals.

Prompt must be answered in 300-1,000 words. Essays can be written in English or Spanish.

Essays must be submitted to [email protected] by end of business on August 14, 2026.

Winners will be honored at the Latinas in Aviation Global Festival September 26, 2026!

Learn about the essay competition rules, criteria, and book information at the link below:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:10ed9ea8-a84d-404a-99b9-d227611e279b?x_api_client_id=chrome_extension_viewer&x_api_client_location=share&viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover

07/09/2026

The Elaine Harmon Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) Collection is now available online for the first time! To browse Elaine Harmon’s pilot’s licenses, papers, and photographs from her time at College Park Airport and as a WASP follow this link: https://collections.digitalmaryland.org/digital/collection/wasp

Harmon earned her private pilot’s license at College Park Airport in 1940 and then joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), becoming one of 1,074 women who flew military aircraft in noncombat roles across the United States during World War II. WASPs ferried planes, towed aerial targets, tested aircraft, and carried out other essential missions in support of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Despite being the first women to fly U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft, WASPs were classified as civilian employees and were denied veterans’ status and benefits. Following a decades-long advocacy campaign, in which Harmon served as treasurer, the WASPs successfully gained recognition as veterans in 1977. In 2010, the WASPs were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their pioneering service. This collection is comprised of items Harmon donated to the College Park Aviation Museum in 1991 and 2012.

Thank you to Digital Maryland for making the sharing of this significant collection possible!

Photo: Mildred House, “Hut” Jackit Hughes, and an unknown woman on a plane, 1944.

06/30/2026

Come meet some Thunderbirds tomorrow!

05/07/2026

Discover the sweeping global impact of our nation’s founding through powerful, personal stories, including those of women, minorities, and other marginalized voices!

This year is America's 250th, and to commemorate we invite you to join University of Maryland College Park professor Dr. Richard Bell for an illuminating presentation of his new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World.

10-11 am: Book Talk
11-11:30 am: Book Signing By Dr. Richard Bell (books available for purchase on-site)
11:15 am-12 noon: (Optional) Changes in Transportation Tour

Registration is still open, or stop by on Saturday to attend. Includes museum admission.