To tie-in to the release of the new feature film about Amelia Earhart, museums around the country are showcasing exhibits celebrating the life of the famous aviatrix.
At the Museum of Flight in Seattle a temporary exhibit has gone up in the Great Gallery, a walk-through corridor with artifacts ranging from photographs and her flight suits to artifacts she carried on her flights, including a makeup compact and smelling salts, as well as an excellent collection of photographs and video clips from newsreels.
“The exhibit was culled from all over the country, including the archives at Purdue University, where Earhart helped start the aviation program,” said Chris Mailander, curator. “In addition there are things from our own archives, as well as private collections.”
Of particular interest to Earhart fans may be the wall containing copies of magazine ads of products she endorsed, including luggage, malted milk tablets and cigarettes, although she did not smoke.
The exhibit also mentions women pilots who came before Earhart and those who were her contemporaries, including some who helped Earhart found the Ninety-nines, the international organization of women pilots. Earhart was the first president of the organization, which now has chapters around the world.
Several local Ninety-nines were in attendance for the museum premiere of the movie on Oct. 22. Before the movie, they walked through the exhibit, commenting on how Earhart had been an inspiration to them.
The Earhart exhibit is slated to run until May.
For more information: MuseumOfFlight.org.