Wright Brothers National Memorial

This is a great National Park. We got there just in time for the last talk, where she told the story of the Wright Brothers. She did an excellent job and was very engaging. It was fun to hear how many times the Wrights traveled to NC to accomplish their goal.

Going in January be prepared for wind and cold. Also, you don't have to walk from the visitor center up the hill. You can drive around and get quite a bit closer. You will still have to tackle the hill though!

An absolute must visit but very ready for a mild hike to the top. The museum is also a must see with a theater. You can also receive a unique stamp for the national state parks. Such a beautiful view from the top of the monument. Dogs are welcome on the grounds but not inside the museum.

Visited in October 2014—an interesting piece of local and aviation history. In a nutshell: On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers achieved a monumental feat in aviation history with the first powered, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft. This inaugural flight lasted 12 seconds, covered 120 feet (approximately 36.6 meters), reached a top speed of 6.8 miles per hour (about 10.9 kilometers per hour), and attained an altitude of approximately 10 feet (around 3 meters).

As visitors to the area from the Dayton, OH area we had to stop at this memorial and check it out. I’m so glad we did - it was a wonderful visit. Climbing the hill to the memorial helps you understand why the Wright brothers came so far to make their first flight - they needed that elevation and the warm air off the water. The memorial is beautiful and the visitors’ center is super informative!

An amazing experience. You get to walk in the footsteps of aviation giants. The museum takes about an hour if you read every display and take your time. The gift shop is small but has some great memorabilia. The hike up the hill to get to the monument is long but it's worth the view.

Soar through history at the Wright Brothers National Memorial! This iconic landmark in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, isn't just a monument, it's an immersive experience into the lives and achievements of the aviation pioneers.

Prepare for liftoff: Be aware that the monument sits atop Kill Devil Hill, so comfortable shoes and a willingness to climb are essential. The reward? Breathtaking panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the very spot where the Wright brothers made history.

Beyond the granite: While the 60-foot granite monument is impressive, the true gems lie within the Wright Brothers Visitor Center. Interactive exhibits bring their story to life, showcasing their meticulous experiments, countless failures, and ultimate triumph.

Step back in time: Explore the reconstructed 1903 hangar where they built their flying machine, and peek inside their original living quarters. Imagine their dedication and perseverance as you stand on the very ground where they launched their dreams.

I visited here at the end of November. There was a lot of crowd. The ranger gave nice explanations with props. The tour has 3 parts.
1. Ranger: Explain the history and significance of the Wright brothers. This is valuable info for 4th and up children.
2. Museum: It's nice with lots of information. All you need is some inquisitive mind about aerospace and history. A wonderful combination of science+history+geography.
3. Statue/Memorial: A giant memorial for wright brothers on top of a hill.
The information board is well written and spaced. The first flight attempts are well recorded and marked by stones.
Standing here you can really feel their excitement, hard work, efforts, sense of failure and achievement.

Excellent stop for any flight, history or NC enthusiast. NC is famous for two types of flight…
1. Orville and Wilbur and their first successful flight with a manned powered aircraft.
2. Michael Jordan

Stop by this monument to see an awesome view, especially for sunrises or sunsets!
We visited in late December it was chilly and very windy.

Pretty cool memorial. The visitor center is very informative. Staffed with knowledgeable park rangers. The exhibits inside and out are very well done. The markers displaying how far they flew in the first flights are awesome. They have a path so you can try to beat the distance and time.

It was a wet and windy day when we chose to visit the Wright brothers memorial.
Entry was $10 per person and this was on card only (no cash)

The visitors centre is full of interesting and important information. We then walked to the granite stones which mark the distance flown (all really interesting) and worth doing.

The actual memorial is quite a walk but is definitely worth your time and the views are spectacular. A metal representation of the actual first flight is a short distance down from the memorial and is worth either the walk, or take your vehicle (as we did)

Overall a good day out and definitely worth visiting.

An amazing national park that does a great job of explaining the history of flight and the Wright Brothers. The hill walk is nice, the monument is quite large, and there are exhibits that offer something for different age groups throughout each part of the park.

Enjoyed my visit. Mini lectures occured at 10am and 11am. They have different topics during the day. I enjoyed the walk up to the memorial on the hill. Kudos to the staff for engaging lectures.

Very cool piece of history. It was super windy so we didn't walk out to the memorial but the visitor center was fun to walk through. Lots of information and there was a presentation by a very knowledgeable staff member about the plane and how it worked.

This is such a beautiful memorial. You have to do a lot of walking. You can actually portrait yourself back in time and picture in your head how everything was accomplished. The view is beautiful. The airplane has been maintain well it looks as it has not aged. The facility is clean and the view to the surrounding worth seeing.

So far the most beautiful and mind-easing National Historical Monument Site I have ever seen.
❤❤❤❤❤

The unique architectural design was done by Rogers and Poor Architect firm based in New York.

We took our fur babies with us. When we lifted Mochi up in the air, her determined look was telling us she wants to fly!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Incredibly well done memorial and park honoring an amazing story and some truly great engineers and inventors. The museum is very entertaining and educational. It was thrilling to walk the path of our first flight.

This National Park was even better than I expected. Entry was $10 per person and the park was not crowded at all. There is a loop road that offers several parking areas for access to walking paths.

The life size metal statues commemorating the first flight are incredibly detailed. Walk to the top of Kill Devils dune to see the giant monument and get a feel for the place where the Wright brothers sharpened their skills with glider flights before attempting the first motorized flight.

There are reconstructed living quarters and an airplane hangar next to stones marking the launch site and landing spots for the first 4 flights.

The museum has exhibits that tell the story of the first flight and the rangers periodically give talks about the flight and the legacy of the Wright brothers.

There’s nothing like this place with a ranger tour to make the first flight and the history of aviation to come alive! With all the books I’ve read on flying, nothing did as much as this to make it visceral. Cannot recommend enough!

• We visited around 4PM on a Thursday in late December 2023 (after Christmas). We’ve visited this place before but needed to come back because we had not started collecting NPS Passport Cancellation Stamp yet. They have a special stamp here is similar to that of the Manhattan project where it spread across multiple sites that you have to visit in the country in order to complete the stamp. See picture in my review.
• We visited for the first time in 2021 during COVID and virtual schooling. Not much has changed other than there were a lot more people now and it’s the middle of winter.
• This is a paid site so be prepared to pay at the gate when you enter if you don’t have a NPS annual pass.
• Also the kids had not done the junior ranger before and wanted to get this badge. They were able to complete it in just over 30 mins but they have done many of these. You technically have to go out and read the markers but you could also google it or see the images other people have taken of the markers.
• We would probably visit again as it’s a nice place to just walk around and hike. Also have a picnic, assuming you have a national park pass. I wouldn't pay the entrance fee just to go in and have a picnic.
• The park does close at 5PM which is later than most NPS sites (typically 4PM) but the sunset as we were leaving were absolutely stunning. The tip was to do the monument first as the park will close from the monument area down.

History preserved well!! Everyone got to visit this place once in their lifetime. Holds a great historical significance. This museum is clean. A little walk to the monument was great!