Kalamazoo’s Air Zoo

Posted by Bill on Thursday, March 29, 2007   |   No Comments

I recently posted about local treasures and the tendency of many to overlook nearby travel attractions in favor of faraway destinations. And I promised, from time to time, to hold one of those local stars up for a better look. Well, today’s the day—and the Kalamazoo Air Zoo is an ideal first example.

The fact is, our Zoo is the kind of attraction that people from far away travel here to visit. And if they don’t make a special trip here just for the Zoo (but many do), then it’s high on the list of things do while they’re visiting the area for other reasons.

A call came one day from an art director friend of mine. He was refreshing the Air Zoo’s website and midway through the project he found himself without a writer. Could I help him out? Sure, I said, and we made plans to meet at the Zoo for a crash course, no pun intended, in aviation history in general and Air Zoo specs in particular.

So I did my duty. First we sat in a meeting where I was bombarded with Zoo facts and loaded down with reference material. Then came the up close and personal part—walking across the immense floor, a mural itself. Followed by the theater, the simulator rides, the exhibits and finally a chance to wander among the aircraft on display and to marvel at the world’s largest indoor mural. The more I looked, the more I saw.

The SR-71 Blackbird, the famous Lady in Black, was developed in the 60s as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and still holds world records for speed and altitude. In her day, she flew three times the speed of sound at an altitude of 85,000 feet. For many she is the centerpiece of the Air Zoo collection. But she’s not alone. Surrounding her are many other aircraft from the Zoo collection. And don’t forget to look up because there are several more suspended in midair above your head.

The Air Zoo is one of those venues where the facility is part of the attraction. For example, you’ll see the overpowering “Century of Flight” mural. A staggering 800’ x 32’, it is certified as a Guinness World Record® largest indoor mural. Then there’s the “Flights of Fancy” mural in the Kid’s Korner and a 36,000-square-foot floor mural, the work of art beneath your feet.

Don’t miss the Missions Theatre, the Midwest’s first 4-D 180-degree experience which drops you into the middle of a World War II bombing mission. There are also indoor amusement park rides for kids, flight simulator rides, the National Guadacanal Memorial Museum, a separate Flight and Education and Research Center and a world-class Restoration Center. Traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian are a regular feature at the Zoo.

The Air Zoo has a café, its own store and an innovative education program that helps round out a total flight experience for local school children. The facilities are also available for rent to businesses and organizations for a variety of functions.

So if you’re looking for buried local treasure, look no further than 6151 Portage Road.

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