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Newly reopened Delta Flight Museum brims with history and art
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Since 1995, the Delta Flight Museum has invited visitors to experience the history of aviation through interactive exhibits and experiences.
Located in two 1940s-era maintenance hangars used for servicing Delta aircraft — the sprawling 68,000-square-foot facility was designated a Historic Aerospace Site in 2011.
Over the years, the museum has undergone several transitions, adding comforts such as air conditioning and modernization to enhance the experience for visitors. The most recent large-scale renovation kicked off in December 2024 and was completed in March, reopening to the public on April 7. Delta is the first U.S. airline to celebrate its centennial, and this renovation seeks to honor the legacy of their first 100 years.
On opening day, I was invited to tour the Delta Flight Museum, a welcome respite from the dreary, drizzly day outside. Clever design choices greeted me before I even walked through the front doors, starting with landing gear used in place of pillars to hold up the patio roof at the entrance.
After checking in at the front desk, visitors are guided into an immersive waiting room where a short video projection highlights some of the history and values of Delta. At the end of the clip, doors open to reveal the first exhibition space of the museum.
In the Legacy Hangar, previously known as Hangar 1, I encountered a Delta Ship 41, a 1931 Travel Air 6000 passenger aircraft, a Huff-Daland Duster biplane replica, a 1936 Stinson Reliant SE trainer craft, and a Northwest Airlines Waco 125.
Additionally, there are a number of interactive and imaginative installations spread throughout the space, including a screen where you can move your body to digitally paint on airplanes in flight, a racing challenge using a faux riveter, and a bean bag balance game atop an aircraft replica, among other elements.
Kids loved climbing into the small plane replica and pretending to pilot a flight, as well as clambering up a towering play structure nearby. Additional features in the Legacy Hangar such as a screening room, lounge, and historic displays add to the enhanced visitor experience.
To reach the Spirit Hangar, formerly referred to as Hangar 2, visitors walk through a glass-walled display that features spinning mobiles of small-scale aircraft replicas and a blue-lit tunnel that leads toward a mounted jet engine.
Once inside the Spirit Hangar, visitors are greeted by large, bright, artistic visuals that illustrate major stops in the airline’s catalog. This exhibition space is designed to highlight the history of Delta from the 1960s to today.
Uniforms and accessories worn by flight attendants and pilots are beautifully arranged in a rainbow configuration, positioned neatly in display cases along the walls. Free-standing displays include glass-walled luggage carts filled with branded suitcases that span the decades.
On a far wall, visitors can pose for a unique photo op by sitting inside of a large jet engine. A large stage offers a chance for visitors to virtually visit some of Delta’s destinations through compelling projections, as well as pose for photos that are sent via email following the experience.
Arguably, the central feature of the Spirit Hangar is the Spirit of Delta, a massive Boeing 767 Delta Ship 102. Visitors are invited to walk under and around the craft as they navigate the exhibition space.
Walking up some stairs leads to a flight simulator experience suitable for visitors aged 16+ and a long walkway in front of a monumental mural completed by SCAD student Jennifer Wee.
Inspired by Delta’s chosen theme, “Humanity Lifts Us,” the 13 ft. tall, 99 ft. long mural was created as part of a SCADpro challenge that inspired more than 20 students to compete for the final design, hailing from top degree programs that include painting, illustration, motion media, graphic design, interactive design, animation, and creative business leadership.
“Keep Climbing,” the winning design by Wee, was created in Adobe Illustrator and features an interactive element wherein visitors can line up a letter on their ticket with the mural for a photo op.
“The mural combines Delta’s history and future through modern, abstract design,” explained Wee in a statement. “The frames of the Delta letters represent Delta’s 100-year-strong foundation. Within the letter frames are small figures –workers, families, and travelers from different cultures –symbolizing Delta’s community.”
“The large-scale design allows viewing from multiple distances,” Wee continued. “I wanted to make sure that viewers could enjoy this mural both from afar and up close. Characters, sized to child height, create perfect photo opportunities from a close distance. Delta’s warm care, the spirit of continuing to pursue high ideals, and the people who make it all possible became my overall inspiration.”
At the end of that long walkway is a unique opportunity to get a glimpse inside the Spirit of Delta. Visitors are able to step into this historic aircraft, with opportunities to view the controls of the cockpit, sit in traditional airplane seats complete with tray tables and wired phones in headrests (a favorite detail for children), and view various displays and videos situated throughout the craft.
The Spirit of Delta’s story is truly inspirational, and highlights the efforts of the people who have contributed to the legacy of Delta.
To understand the significance of this craft, you have to go back in time to spring of 1982. At the time, the airline industry was facing difficulties posed by a weakened economy, deregulation, and high fuel prices. It was the airline’s first year to experience a net loss, and in reaction to these circumstances, it was Delta employees who stepped up to bridge the gap.
Three flight attendants led the charge on “Project 767,” seeking to raise money to purchase Delta’s first Boeing 767. Their successful efforts resulted in a whopping $30 million gathered from employees, retirees, and friends. In 1982, over 7,000 employees, friends, and media attended the Technical Operations Center to present the craft to the airline. Immediately following the dedication ceremony, Spirit embarked on its inaugural flight to Tampa, Florida.
For more than 23 years, Spirit flew as an ambassador of Delta, and was painted in special liveries to celebrate key moments in history such as the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Delta’s 75th Anniversary in 2004. It was eventually retired from service in 2006 and repainted in its original 1982 livery, after which it made a 12-stop cross-country farewell tour, before finding its final resting place inside the Delta Flight Museum.
“The Delta Flight Museum is widely known to our employees and the community as Delta’s true home,” said Kelley Moore, Executive Director of Delta Flight Museum, in a statement posted on Delta’s website.
“While the museum always offered a close-up look at our aircraft and artifacts, the newly reimagined experience and interactive exhibits allow us to truly showcase the humanity of Delta and the people who made it all possible.”
Overall I was impressed by the museum’s ability to captivate visitors both young and old, and the ways in which the displays incorporate modern technological advances and historical artifacts to tell the story of Delta throughout its 100 year history.
Outside, four aircrafts sit in place of pride, including a Boeing 757 that has been transformed into an exhibition where you can enter and walk along the wings. This fleet of airlines serves as a visual welcome to all who enter the property.
The Delta Flight Museum experience is fun, interactive, and will surely inspire the next generation to consider careers as pilots, mechanics, engineers, flight attendants, and more.
Learn more about the Delta Flight Museum, purchase tickets, and plan your visit by checking out their website.
This story is from Sketchbook by Rough Draft, a weekly arts newsletter, and comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.
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