DECEMBER 17TH, 1903  |  KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA

At 10:35 AM on December 17th, 1903 at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, NC, the Wright Brothers successfully achieved heavier-than-air, powered, controlled flight. This initial flight only lasted 12 seconds and travelled 120 feet, but it proved that controlling flight was possible. In total, they flew 4 flights that day, with the last flight travelling over 800 feet and lasting 59 seconds. The Wright brothers were the founders of a new age that ushered in changes to transportation, communication, military tactics, and global logistics – touching every aspect of our daily lives.

This recreation was curated by leading experts at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and shows the most accurate representation of this moment of history to date. 

A fully interactive VR version of the experience is set to take flight in 2022.