Bird Aviation Museum & Invention Center

12/10/2022

Museum is OPEN today, Saturday, December 10 from 9am to 3pm and admission is by donation. This is the last weekend the museum is open in 2022 as the museum will close for 6 weeks for the holidays, deep cleaning and display updates.

Closure dates:
December 17, 2022 through January 31, 2023

The museum will reopen February 1, 2023 and it will be another great year!

FYI… Cessna gate is closed by the airport, not the museum - please call the museum at 208-758-8455 for the code code. As winter is here, the snow is continuously falling and the airport plows job main priorities are the airstrip and taxiways then when they have time, Cessna road will be plowed.

The museum staff tries our best to stay on top of plowing our area, so please be patient with us if we can’t answer the phone call on the first try as we are doing our best to keep the parking area clear of snow.

We wish you and your family a wonderful and happy holiday season.

12/06/2022

Did you know the museum has a display on local Medal of Honor recipient Gregory "Pappy" Boyington who the airfield is named after?

Come check it out? The museums hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm and please call 208-758-8355 for the Cessna Gate access code. (If we don’t answer we are helping others so call back, please).

Gregory Pappy Boyington.
December 4, 1912 – January 11, 1988
Boyington was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. A Marine aviator with the Pacific fleet in 1941, Boyington joined the "Flying Tigers" (1st American Volunteer Group) of the Republic of China Air Force and saw combat in Burma in late 1941 and 1942 during the military conflict between China and Japan.

In September 1942, Boyington rejoined the Marine Corps. In early 1943, he deployed to the South Pacific and began flying combat missions in the F4U Corsair fighter. In September 1943, he took command of Marine fighter squadron VMF-214 ("Black Sheep"). In January 1944, Boyington, outnumbered by Japanese "Zero" planes, was shot down into the Pacific Ocean after downing one of the enemy planes. He was captured by a Japanese submarine crew and was held as a prisoner of war for more than a year and a half. He was released shortly after the surrender of Japan. The television series Baa Baa Black Sheep was inspired by Boyington and his men in the "Black Sheep" squadron. It ran for two seasons in the late 1970s.

Shortly after his return to the U.S., as a lieutenant colonel,[17][20] Boyington was ordered to Washington to receive the nation's highest military honor—the Medal of Honor—from the president. The medal had been awarded by the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt in March 1944 and held in the capital until such time as he could receive it. On October 4, 1945, Boyington received the Navy Cross from the Commandant of the Marine Corps for the Rabaul raid. On October 5, "Nimitz Day," he and some other sailors and Marines who were also awarded the Medal of Honor were presented their medals at the White House by President Harry S. Truman.

Following the receipt of his Medal of Honor and Navy Cross, Boyington made a Victory Bond Tour. Originally ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, he was later directed to report to the commanding general, Marine Air West Coast, Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, San Diego, California. He retired from the Marine Corps on August 1, 1947, and because he was specially commended for the performance of duty in actual combat, he was promoted to colonel.

11/30/2022

Museum will be CLOSED today, Wednesday, November 30 as we are shoveling/plowing ourselves out of the heavy snow received last night.

All area schools have been cancelled and the roads are nasty so please stay safe.

Hunker down and build a snowman ☃️.

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

The museum is thankful for our amazing volunteers, supportive hangar neighbors and museum supporters.

Thankful…

11/22/2022

Wishing you and your families a very wonderful Thanksgiving. The museum is very thankful for our staff, volunteers, hangar neighbors and supporters.

The museum is closed this week so we can spend time with our families. However, if you would like to visit the museum this week, we may be able to accommodate your request. Please email [email protected] to ask.

11/11/2022

In honor of Veterans Day tomorrow, Friday, November 11 from 9am to 11am the museum will have coffee and donuts.
🍩 ☕️ ♥️ 🇺🇸 💙

Thank you to all of those who served our great country.

Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

11/08/2022

Museum closed today- Tuesday, November 8, 2022 due to hazardous road conditions.

With school closures and text alerts from area Sheriffs Office about driving conditions, we are closing for the day.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

10/26/2022

Looking for something to do this week to stay out of the rain?

Stop by the Bird Aviation Museum and Invention center at the Coeur d’Alene airport off of Atlas Road and complete a scavenger hunt and get a little bag full of prizes. The baggies have candy, spider rings, lollipops, slimy Play-Doh, slap bracelets, pencil, rice crispy treats and more.

We hope to see you soon and have a Spooktacular week

🎃 👻 🧹 🎃 ✈️ 

09/13/2022

Are you looking for a fun FREE activity for a school field trip, homeschool co-op, church member outing or a senior group tour?

Call the museum at 208-758-8355 to schedule your group visit.

Museum Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

09/11/2022

21 years later, never forgotten.
9-11-2001.

09/03/2022

Save the Date—- September 22, 2022 from 9am to 3pm.
Student Open house.
Check out the flyer below for additional details.

08/11/2022

Happy Summer… ☀️

School is less than a month from starting for the 2022/2023 academic year in the inland Northwest.

Are you looking for your childs back to school backpack, lunch box or water bottle with an airplane theme? If so, the museum has you covered! Mention this post and receive 20% off your purchase on back to school items!

We hope to see you at the museum. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

08/07/2022

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

Today… August 7 is a day for Americans to remember and honor the men and women who bravely represented their country and were wounded or killed whilst serving.

“The Purple Heart Medal is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.” 💜 www.PurpleHeart.org 💜

THANK YOU to ALL Purple Heart recipients for your bravery and service.

08/02/2022

2007: Idaho's Bird Man

August 2, 2022 marks 7 years since the passing of museum founder Dr. Forrest Bird. We miss him and Pam each and every day and are thankful for the legacy they left behind. Forrest was an inspiration to so many and an amazing family man.

The museum is blessed to continue sharing his visions while inspiring those who visit the museum. Stop by the museum Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm and say hello to museum staff and volunteers and hear about the contributions Forrest made to the medical field and how they continue to impact lives.

Gone but never forgotten ❤️ ✈️ 🇺🇸 💙 . We miss you Doc.

https://youtu.be/JfwOhTo_3Gs

Morley Safer reports on Forrest Bird, who invented the modern medical respirator. A pilot, Bird got the idea from how air moves over a wingSubscribe to the "...

07/07/2022

Happy 15th birthday to the BIRD AVIATION MUSEUM ——TODAY… 15 years ago the museum opened and while there has been changes over the years, the museum is happy to be in service and to welcome guests of all ages.

Today, the museum is hosting the museum volunteers and hangar neighbors to a bbq luncheon in appreciation of the dedication and hard work.

Please post your favorite pictures below of the museum. Thank you 😊

Tomorrow, Friday, July 8, the museum is having an open house for the students to enjoy hands on activities. Please see the flyer below for additional details.

Reminder… the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm. Admission is by donations. Call the museum for the gate code on Atlas/Cessna. We hope to see you soon and safe skies!

06/30/2022

The museum will be closed this Saturday, July 2 so museum staff and volunteers can enjoy the Independence Day festivities with in our community and with our families.

The museums regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

We hope to see you soon!

05/24/2022

Last week the museum hosted the annual Spring Volunteer luncheon and we had a great turnout!

The Museum recognized the volunteers that have been with the museum since the beginning. As the museum approaches its 15th birthday, we recognized 3 volunteers who have been with us since the opening year of 2007. Sol Pusey, Paul Nowaske and Buzz Sherman—-thank you!!! The museum also recognized, Charles Ballo who has been a constant supporter, taken countless photos for the museum over the past 15 years.

Next, we recognized the individuals who have volunteered at the museum for the past 10 years: Todd Moore, Joanie Sutton, Ann Wall, Barbara Brandon and Todd Sudick.

A huge thank you to ALL of the museums volunteers… know you are appreciated and we are so thankful for your time and dedication towards the museum. Volunteers truly make a difference and help the overall success of the museum. Thank you!

If you are interested in volunteering, please send us your email or phone number or give us a call as we would love to talk with you.

Reminder: the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm. For group visits, please call 208-758-8355 to schedule your time. We hope to see you soon.

Stay stunned… next Open House is Friday, June 17 (details will be posted next week).

05/12/2022

OPEN HOUSE!!!

This Friday, May 13, 2022 at the Bird Aviation Museum.

Children, middle school students, high school students and families… Come and see what programs are offered in our local area.

Hayden Lake Photography, CdA Police Explorers Program, Civil Air Patrol, North Idaho College Dual Enrollment Program, No Limits Aviation High School Flight Program will be onsite to answer questions and have information regarding their programs.

The museum will have on site science demonstrations and scavenger hunts for the youth.

Admission is by donations and we hope to see you there!

03/17/2022

STUDENT OPEN HOUSE—-

Friday, March 18, 2022 from 9am to 2pm.

Student Open house at the museum and the Library Discovery Bus will be here as well. No reservations needed, admission is by donation. Come and see our new displays, have fun making a craft and listen to a pilot speak. We hope to see you soon!

02/26/2022

Check out my list on Amazon

Hello Museum Friends!

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful sunny weekend as much as we are. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm and admission is by donation.

This past week at the museum, we had over 200 students pass through and some families asked if we had a specific list of needs and the answer was YES… I was asked to share our Amazon wish list it in case others would like to support the museum. On the museums wish list, you will see anything from coffee to stock the volunteer area, printer cartridge ink toners for the museum office supplies to mini toys for the kids that they earn once they complete their scavenger hunt.

If you would like to purchase an item, please feel free to do so and it will be delivered directly to the museum. We thank you for any and all support as it is greatly appreciated.

In addition, if you would like to make a monetary donation, the museums direct PayPal link is

https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=zHf60del6UxcdhU74sILabM_YmkisrQ-Om2Z7R37ehwYjL1X7p8kkzEXTGDznd2OOdQ3J1NoEU63gDRs

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/204GTAGHG7JG2?ref_=wl_share

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02/04/2022

Hello Museum Volunteers, Supporters & Hangar Neighbors!

Please read this message as there is important information within.

Effective immediately, the Cessna access gate leading to the museum is being closed 24/7, (action not by the museum). The “Airport has just had its annual FAA Certification Inspection. COE received a write up for not securing the field at the Cessna gate.”

The museum does not know how long this will be in effect, what other solutions are in the works or what the future holds. In the meantime, to obtain access to visit the museum, during normal business hours, Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm, please call the museum at 208-758-8355. If access changes, we will update and let you know.

Please be patient with other us as there is typically only one employee on at any given time so between answering the phones for access, welcoming guests, running the gift shop and regular cleaning… we will answer the phone as soon as we can. Call back until we answer. We know this is an inconvenience and apologize in advance.

If it’s easier for you to arrange a scheduled group visit, no matter the size, we would love to get you on the schedule so please get ahold of us.

On another positive note, during the month of January, the museum has had a number of updates and we are eager to share:

-the main hangar, two additional cases have been added into the he World War II display, one case for the Korean War, Pappy Boyington display, and early Coeur D Alene airport display.

-in the Invention Center, we added displays on three local inventors, Bob Smith (Smith Ski Goggles), Dr. Loel Fenwick (modern day maternity care system), Kodiak and we are finishing up the Edison display. We are very excited with these changes and the museum now has a new fresh feeling. Please see the photos for a glimpse into the new displays.

Again, thank you for visiting the Bird Aviation Museum and we will keep you updated on changes.

11/24/2021

Today we celebrated Friendsgiving at the museum with our amazing hangar neighbors, museum volunteers and supporters.

We would like to extend a happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Here are some photos from today of many of us having fun and enjoying friendship.

From a smoked Turkey (No Limits Aviation) to Spiral Hams (Museum) and all the fixings (brought in by volunteers/supporters) and finished off with pumpkin pie, pecan pie and a pumpkin cheesecake… all bellies were full and content.

The museum will be closed for the remainder of the week so we can spend time with our families. The museum will reopen Tuesday, November 30 and we hope to see you than.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and remember to remind yourself what you are thankful for.

11/11/2021

Museum is closed Thursday, November 11 through Saturday, November 13, 2021.

Museum will resume regular hours, Tuesday, November 16 at 9am.

10/14/2021

The museum is open and we love scheduled group visits! Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

Here we have over 100 thank you notes from students that have visited the museum over the past few weeks. These notes are for the outstanding museum volunteers, friends and hangar neighbors.

Stop by and take a look at them. 👀 ✈️ 🧬

From the Snoopy Stearman, Hayden Library Discovery Bus to the Tesla Coil and Van de Graaff generator to the art wall, climbing up in a Cub on floats to the hands on kids displays… the students loved their visit.

Do you have a group that you would like to bring to the museum? Give us a call and get on our calendar! 208-758-8355

10/08/2021

Rutan Voyager | National Air and Space Museum

Open House—-
Friday, October 8, 2021

Has anyone ever heard of the Rutan Voyager that flew non stop (with no refuels) around the world? Do you know where the voyager is currently housed? (Inside the National Air & Space Museum).

Do you know who the male pilot was during that flight?

If you want to learn more, stop by the museum tomorrow (10/8/2021) and listen to him speak to visitors at 11am & 2pm. Bring hime an autographed souvenir book by him as well. Any guesses who it may be? Comment below ⬇️ ✈️ 👨‍✈️ ✍️

Admission is free and we hope to see you soon.

Open house will also have the discovery bus with hands on activities onsite throughout the day!

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rutan-voyager/nasm_A19880548000

Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history.

10/06/2021

This Friday, October 8 at 9am!!!

Free and fun for the family. The museum will have the Discovery Bus (interactive bands on stem projects for the youth), live science demonstrations and talk to a pilot.

Come visit the museum this Friday and don’t miss out on the fun. We hope to see you there!

10/01/2021

This past week at the museum has been absolutely amazing. To hear the laughter in kids and the excitement in their voices are always precious sounds. The museum served hundreds of students this week and we hope that a little spark was lite within them.

Ross W., a local engineer/scientist came out to do nearly a dozen science demonstrations with the local youth and Nick M. from the Hayden Library (Community Library Network) for being the 60 ft long Discovery Bus that was full of interactive SteM projects for the youth. A huge thank you to the museum volunteers (Gordon, Todd, Paul, Sol and Kip), hangar neighbor Mike K. (Talked about float planes and let the kids explore his Cub), Shane R. and the No Limits Aviation guys for helping out and talking with kids about aviation and climbing in the Stearman. The museum couldn’t do what we do without your help. You are all A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Next week—— OPEN HOUSE —- Friday, October 8, 2021 (flyer will be posted tomorrow)

Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, call to schedule your group visit today ✈️

Pappy Boyington Field
Coeur D Alene Airport
Hayden, Idaho

09/11/2021

Sharing a post…

20 YEARS AGO, TONIGHT

“Millions of Americans went quietly to bed with no thought that, the next morning, their world would change forever.

One never knows what each new day has in store. Let us live every day, to the fullest and never miss an opportunity to let those dearest to us know our love for them.

So tonight, and every night, if you have someone in your life that you love, tell them.”

We will never forget those lost on September 11, 2011. May they all Rest In Peace.

🙏 ❤️ 🇺🇸 💙 🙏

08/04/2021

Wednesday, August 4, 2021.

The museum will be OPEN.

The weather is still predicting temperatures into the upper 90s but the air quality has improved so we can get a good breeze and fresh air into the hangar this morning.

Should anything change, decrease in air quality or smoke rolling back in, we will update this post and make a decision at that point.

We hope to see you soon and have a great day. Thank you!

08/03/2021

With much thought, the decision was made to close the museum for today. I went to the museum this morning and it was very Smokey in the area 😔.

CLOSED - Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - CLOSED

With temperatures in the upper 90s (museum does not have AC), air quality being in the unhealthy range and the lingering smoke in the area - for the health and safety of the museum staff and volunteers, the museum will remain closed.

Should the weather change and if the smokes moves out of the area, we may open the museum.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. We hope you are able to visit the museum soon. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Below is a picture of the Dauntless Avition Fire Boss airplanes at the Coeur D Alene airport that have been working so hard to tackle the area fires along with multiple other airplanes, helicopters and organizations. We THANK YOU for your hard work in saving our beautiful north Idaho.

08/03/2021

Can’t believe it has been 6 years since you went on your final flight. I miss you so much and wish you were here with us. Celebrating your memory with an old fashion root beer float 🍺.

The museum is thriving, but not a day goes by that we don’t think of you.

Rest easy Doc.

07/31/2021

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Museum will be CLOSED.

Due to excessive heat temperatures soaring over 100 degrees and with heavy smoke in the area, we are closing the museum for the Health and safety of the Museum staff, volunteers and visitors.

We will resume regular hours on Tuesday, August 3. The museums regular business hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM.

We hope this doesn’t cause a big inconvenience for you and your family.

Thank you and have a great day.

07/08/2021

Today marks 14 years that the BIRD AVIATION MUSEUM AND INVENTION CENTER has been open. With the loss of both of the museum founders, Drs. Forrest & Pamela Bird gone, the museum is still thriving. The museum has relocated and even dealt with the blows of COVID, yet we are still thriving.

Two things:
First, I would like to have a fundraiser and the goal is $1,400 USD… that would be $100 per year the museum has been open. Do you think you can help us reach our goal by the end of the week? If so, the museum has a individual that will match the goal donation!

Second, please share your favorite memory in the comments below of your visit to the museum and feel free to include a picture!

PayPal link for the museum:

https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=kaJdN1vWJoWXqIYwgKIeNLTDBE5k1AJhLfUmGy_sQMgPwOOo51AH0vvDVXJ7nICpGSzRuS1iBeAFkTIw