Wright Brothers National Memorial
They Taught the World to Fly!
Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where, after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights in 1903. With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.
History & Culture
Wright Brothers National Memorial commemorates two ingenious brothers from Dayton, OH who, in 1900, choose the sparsely populated area known as the Outer Banks to conduct a series of experiments that three years later resulted in the world's first heavier than air, powered controlled flight. The story of these brothers embodies the American ideal of hard work overcoming all obstacles. Wilbur and Orville Wright were not just lucky bicycle mechanics but succeeded because of study and scientific experimentation. Their story is the realization of a dream that had existed for centuries; it is not simply about building the first plane but rather about how they scientifically solved the problem. It is a story about those who inspired and those who aided the brothers as well as the coastal area of North Carolina before, during and after the dream came to life.
Visit the Wright Brothers Visitor Center where the Wright brothers' story is told through exhibits.
On display in the visitor center are:
- a full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider,
- a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine,
- an engine block from the original 1903 Flyer, and
- a reproduction of the Wright's first wind tunnel.
Additional exhibits, movies and educational programs are available in the Centennial Pavilion.
Climb Big Kill Devil Hill for a breathtaking view of the area from sound to sea. Atop the Hill, stands the 60 ft. Pylon - the site where Wilbur and Orville conducted their glider experiments. Stand on the same spot where the brothers made their first flights. A large granite boulder marks the spot where the first plane left the ground. Visit the park via plane and land at the 3,000 ft. First Flight Airstrip. Spend a day visiting the place where flight started.
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