The pavilion features the first-ever Boeing 747 prototype, registered as N7470 and nicknamed 'City of Everett'.
It houses a Boeing VC-137B, the first jet-powered aircraft used as Air Force One for the U.S. President.
The structure includes the 'City of Seattle', the first production Boeing 737-100, which entered service in 1968.
A British Airways Concorde, registration G-BOAG, is permanently stationed here.
The pavilion's steel-truss roof covers three acres of space, utilizing a cantilevered design to minimize internal support columns.
It displays the Boeing 727-022, which was the first 727 produced and flew over 64,000 hours in its lifetime.
The collection includes the Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation, a major icon of mid-century luxury air travel.
It showcases the B-47 Stratojet, a critical piece of Cold War strategic bomber history.
The Aviation Pavilion is an expansive, open-air gallery serving as a primary display space for the Museum of Flight's large-scale aircraft collection. It is uniquely characterized by its permanent roof structure that protects rare, historical aircraft from the Pacific Northwest elements while remaining outdoors. The collection features iconic aviation milestones, including the first Boeing 747 prototype and a retired Air Force One model. Visitors can walk underneath and around these massive machines to inspect landing gear, engine inlets, and fuselage construction. The facility utilizes a three-acre footprint to house over 20 vintage and modern aircraft. It serves as an industrial-scale preservation site for commercial and military aeronautical engineering. The pavilion is located on the historic site of Boeing's original manufacturing facility.
The elevated walkway near the Concorde offers an unobstructed wide-angle view of the entire pavilion floor.
Bring a light jacket as the open-air design means temperatures inside match the outside weather.
Check the daily schedule for guided tours that allow entry into the cockpits of specific planes.
Walk the perimeter of the pavilion to view the aircraft from elevated vantage points if available.
Avoid arriving late in the day as the pavilion is outdoors and loses light quickly during winter months.
Do not touch the aircraft surfaces; wear comfortable, flat, closed-toe walking shoes due to the long distance of the display area.
