Aerospace Center For Excellence

Storytime at the Florida Air Museum
2025-05-20 10:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York)
Come join us as we bring stories to life and create amazing, interactive learning experiences for our Junior ACE’s – exploring the universe, one adventure at a time!

Please email us at museum@flysnf.org with any questions!

StoryTime is FREE. Access to the Florida Air Museum AND the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground is included!

Summer Storytime at the Florida Air Museum
2025-06-09 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-06-10 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-06-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-06-17 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-06-23 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-06-24 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-07-07 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-07-08 10:00 - 10:30 and 4 more dates

AirVenture 2025
2025-07-21 09:00 - 2025-07-27 17:00
Headed to AirVenture? So are we! 🇺🇸✈️

Stop by and see SUN ‘n FUN:

📍 Outside Hangar C – Booth 503

📍 Inside Hangar C – Booth 3012

We’re bringing the Florida sunshine to Oshkosh, WI as we gear up for SUN ‘n FUN 2026: Red, White & Blue at 52!

🎉 Cool down with a free ice pop

🎁 Grab fun swag like cooling towels, stickers, pinwheels & more!

📸 Snap pics with our oversized Adirondack chair + patriotic photo wall

🤝 Meet & greets with our SUN ‘n FUN Poster Children

🎯 Play games, win prizes, and soak in the vibes

Just look for the palm trees🌴 and flags 🇺🇸 — you can’t miss us!

Stuffed Animal Flight School
2025-07-31 15:00 - 2025-08-03 15:00
Does your Stuffed Animal dream of flying? Do they feel the need for speed? Do they crave adventure?

If so, Enroll in Stuffed Animal Flight School at the Florida Air Museum!

Step 1: Identify which of your stuffed animals has what it takes.

Step 2: You and your stuffed animal attend mandatory orientation (see event details for dates).

Step 3: Leave your stuffed animal with our experienced team of aviation professionals for a rigorous flight training program.

Step 4: Return the following day between 1-3 p.m. to collect your newly winged pilot!

Note to Parents: Orientation will include a presentation and video of the activities that the stuffed animals will be “participating in” while in flight school. A photo will be taken of the child with their animal as they say goodbye. The next day, the child will pick up their animal who will have “successfully completed flight school.” They will go home with their new pilot certificate, a logbook to be used for future flights, the photo from orientation, and a set of pilot wings for the animal and the child.

Please reserve one ticket per participating child. Adults and nonparticipating children do not need a ticket.

Session 1: July 31st Drop-Off at 3 PM; Pick-Up on August 1st from 1-3 PM

Session 2: August 1st Drop-Off at 3 PM; Pick-Up on August 2nd from 1-3 PM

Session 3: August 2nd Drop-Off at 3 PM; Pick-Up on August 3rd from 1-3 PM

Click Here for Tickets!

Sponsors

Wings 'n Waffles
2025-08-09 09:00 - 10:00
Join us from 9:00 – 10:00 A.M. to enjoy breakfast (chicken and waffles, thus the event name).

Members of the Florida Air Museum receive FREE admission to this event. Non-member cost is $10.00 per person at the door, which includes a day pass to tour the Museum when the event is over, a $5 discount on a regular daily admission!

Storytime at the Florida Air Museum
2025-08-12 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-08-19 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-08-26 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-09-02 10:00 - 10:30
Theme: Aerodynamics (Lift/Gravity)

Come join us as we bring stories to life and create amazing, interactive learning experiences for our Junior ACE’s – exploring the universe, one adventure at a time!

Please email us at museum@flysnf.org with any questions!

StoryTime is FREE. Access to the Florida Air Museum AND the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground is included!

Storytime at the Florida Air Museum
2025-09-09 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-09-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-09-23 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-09-30 10:00 - 10:30
Theme: Space/Solar System

Come join us as we bring stories to life and create amazing, interactive learning experiences for our Junior ACE’s – exploring the universe, one adventure at a time!

Please email us at museum@flysnf.org with any questions!

StoryTime is FREE. Access to the Florida Air Museum AND the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground is included!

Wings 'n Waffles Buehler Build
2025-09-13 09:00 - 10:00

Girls in Aviation Day
2025-09-20 10:00 - 14:00
Discover the world of aviation and aerospace—for FREE!

📅 Saturday, September 20 | 10 AM – 2 PM

📍 Florida Air Museum

4075 James C. Ray. DR, Lakeland FL 33811

👩‍✈️Meet inspiring women in aviation, from pilots and air traffic controllers to aircraft mechanics.

⛅️ Special Guest: Amanda Holly, News Channel 8 Meteorologist.

🛫 Connect with local airports in Bartow, Winter Haven, and Lakeland.

✈️ Learn about flight training opportunities with local flight schools.

🎮 Test your flying skills on a flight simulator.

🔧 Dive into hands-on STEM and engineering demos.

🏛️ Explore the Florida Air Museum.

Creative & Glam Activities:

💅 Airplane Nail Salon – Add aviation-themed charms for sky-high style.

💎 Aviation Jewelry Making – Design your own charm bracelet.

✨ Glitter Slime Lab – Swirl up sparkling slime to take home.

👜 Bling Your Makeup Pouch – Customize your pouch with gems and sparkles.

🎨 Aviation Pioneer Coloring Station – Celebrate history with inspiring trailblazers.

🌸 Flower Wall Photo Op – Snap the perfect picture to remember your day in aviation!

🌟 FREE Event – All Are Welcome!

👉 This event has limited capacity, so register below to attend and save your spot!

RSVP Here!!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Lifting Literacy
2025-10-04 09:00 - 11:00
Come and explore the world of reading and nursery rhymes through the magical lens of STEM.

Florida Air Museum – 4075 James C. Ray Dr. Lakeland, FL 33811

Join the Aerospace Center for Excellence in partnership with the YMCA of West Central Florida to come and explore the world of reading and nursery rhymes through the magical lens of STEM. This program is designed for families with children ages VPK-5th grade and was created to inspire and support struggling readers.

Attendees will enjoy breakfast while hearing about the YMCA’s New Worlds Reading Program. Following breakfast, children will explore some of the most beloved nursery rhymes by enacting how they would rescue the characters from disaster using creative, STEM solutions. Each child will leave with a FREE book and a full imagination! Attendance is FREE, seats are limited.

All slots are full, you can register below to be added to a wait list if any spots become available.

Register Here

Register Here

Storytime at the Florida Air Museum
2025-10-07 10:00 - 10:30, 2025-10-14 10:00 - 10:30
Theme: Superheroes of the Aviation and the Community

Come join us as we bring stories to life and create amazing, interactive learning experiences for our Junior ACE’s – exploring the universe, one adventure at a time!

Please email us at museum@flysnf.org with any questions!

StoryTime is FREE. Access to the Florida Air Museum AND the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground is included!

Wings 'n Waffles
2025-10-11 09:00 - 10:00
Raptor Center of Tampa Bay – Saturday, October 11th

Join us from 9:00 – 10:00 A.M. to enjoy breakfast (chicken and waffles, thus the event name). October’s speaker will be the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay.

During the group’s presentation, that includes live birds, we will learn about the aerodynamic design of birds of prey and a few of the aircraft that were modeled after them. We will also learn how the aviation community can work to reduce avian populations at airports, creating a safer environment for birds of all kinds, whether animal or machine.

Members of the Florida Air Museum receive FREE admission to this event. Non-member cost is $10.00 per person at the door, which includes a day pass to tour the Museum when the event is over, a $5 discount on a regular daily admission!
