Museum of Flight Personal Courage Wing
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Seattle, WA
- Phase I of four-phase campus master plan, adding 93,000 SF of new exhibit, archive, and visitor space
- Complex integration of exhibits, large-scale artifacts, and specialized building systems within a highly curated environment
- New entry experience featuring an expanded lobby, enhanced visitor amenities, and gift shop expansion
- Development of 4 new aircraft hangars at adjacent King County International Airport
93K SF
2004
Challenge
The Museum of Flight sought to implement the first phase of an ambitious four-phase master plan that would expand exhibit capacity, improve the visitor experience, and create space for future collection growth. The project required balancing the needs of immersive exhibit environments, archives, public spaces, and aviation support facilities while coordinating development across both the museum campus and adjacent airport property. As a nonprofit institution, the Museum also needed to align fundraising efforts, permitting, budgets, and project phasing to ensure the long-term vision could be successfully realized.
Solution
We partnered with the Museum of Flight as a trusted advisor, overseeing development of the overall campus master plan and leading implementation of Phase I. Our team guided permitting, procurement, budgeting, scheduling, design management, and construction oversight while coordinating stakeholders across the Museum, design team, contractors, airport authorities, and regulatory agencies. By aligning project scope, funding strategies, and delivery requirements, we helped transform the Museum’s long-term vision into an achievable and well-executed first phase that established the foundation for future campus growth.
Outcome & Impact
The Personal Courage Wing significantly expanded the Museum’s ability to preserve and share the history of military aviation through immersive exhibits, historic aircraft, and powerful personal narratives. The new galleries, archives, visitor amenities, and aviation support facilities strengthened both the visitor experience and the Museum’s operational capacity, positioning the institution for future growth. As the first phase of a broader campus master plan, the project helped establish the Museum of Flight as one of the nation’s premier aviation museums while creating a lasting educational and cultural resource for the region.
Image Gallery
Project Partners
NBBJ
Architect
Sellen Construction
GC
Our Work
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