Preserving the Past
Conservation of the
Caproni Ca.20
The Museum’s Ca.20 is the only plane of this model built and is considered the world’s first fighter plane. Thanks to the generosity of Museum donors, conservation work was completed in 2025 to maintain the aircraft in good museum condition. Watch the video and learn more about the Caproni Ca.20 conservation project
Learjet
Aviation pioneer Clay Lacy donated his iconic Learjet 24A, and it arrived at The Museum of Flight in 2025. Learjet was one of the first manufacturers of private, luxury business jets and this particular aircraft is the 12th Learjet 24A ever built. It set three world speed records in a 1965 flight dubbed the “Race with the Sun,” flying from Los Angeles to New York and back.
Donors make The Museum of Flight a place where great aviators leave their legacy.
Pfalz D.XII
The Museum’s Pfalz D.XII is a rare, original World War I German fighter plane that was removed from its exhibit in 2024 to be extensively conserved. The plane came back on exhibit in 2025 and is now displayed with its original colors, period accurate linen and stitching on the wings, and is the most authentic and accurate representation of the Pfalz D.XII that can be found in North America today.
Watch Senior Curator Matthew Burchette explain how donors supported the restoration of this historic plane.
The Red Barn
The William E. Boeing Red Barn is not just the Museum’s largest artifact, but is the foundational building for the Museum and is on the National Registry of Historic Places due to its importance to the worldwide advancement of aviation. Learn how you and thousands of donors preserve this landmark building for generations to learn from and visit.
Transforming Lives
Learn about your education impact
In 2025, generous donors like you empowered thousands of school-aged learners to dream bigger and achieve more.
Donors supported:
-
204 high school students earned college credit from the University of Washington through the Washington Aerospace Scholars program, giving them a powerful head start on their academic journeys.
-
1,150 students developed leadership skills and explored STEM careers through hands-on missions at the Challenger Learning Center.
-
100 children from underserved families experienced the joy and growth of summer camp through ACE Camperships.
-
Students received over $276,000 in scholarships from the Museum, opening doors to post-secondary education and flight training opportunities they might not have otherwise accessed.
Hear from a Museum Program Graduate
You help students fly…literally!
The Museum of Flight is home to premier pre-professional aviation and aerospace education programs that give students hands-on career preparation and access to opportunities they might not otherwise have the means to pursue. Many of these programs are tuition-free or have no fees.
Hear from Aeronautical Science Pathway graduate Kalei about how the program changed the course of her life and is helping her succeed in college.
Looking Back at Your Impact
2025 Year in Review
2024 Year in Review
A Thank You from Us to You
We can't thank you enough for your generous support of The Museum of Flight. From supporting our world-class aviation and aerospace collection, award-winning STEM education programs, vibrant visiting exhibits, like The MiG-21 Project and more, your generosity makes everything we do possible at the Museum.
The Museum of Flight staff truly appreciates everything you do to help us succeed. You shape experiences that last a lifetime. To show our gratitude, we came together to personally thank you.
"The lives we change at The Museum of Flight are the lives that will change the world."
— Matt Hayes
President & CEO of The Museum of Flight