Launched in early 2015, Aeroscopia (www.musee-aeroscopia.fr/en) is an aeronautics, technology and science museum located in Blagnac, site of the airport and Airbus assembly plants just 3.6 miles from Toulouse, in France's Midi-Pyrenees region. Much more than a museum, though, Aeroscopia has fired up a wide base of flight-fancied imaginations and become an animated visitor attraction surpassing all expectations.
Designed as a historical review and contemporary exploration of aeronautics, Aeroscopia is a guided narrative, brought to life via a 190-foot-long timeline fresco, about everything from the birth of aviation and the first record-breakers to the amazing challenges and technical innovations that led to modern airliners. It covers a massive exhibition area of more than 80,000 square feet indoors and nearly 65,000 square feet outside, and showcases four icons of French aeronautics – the Caravelle (the first French commercial jetliner), Concorde (supersonic passenger jet airliner), Super Guppy (a cargo plane) and Airbus A300B (a groundbreaking modern airliner designed with profitability in mind) – along with more than 30 full-size historical and vintage aircraft, and a wide range of 1/25th scale-model planes from the 1920s to the present day. A full-size A380, flagship the of the European aviation industry, is expected to be added in 2016.
Aeroscopia is also an important resource and educational facility. With target groups as diverse as schools, families, aviation enthusiasts and anyone keen to explore and learn, it aims not only to preserve and present unique items related to aviation, but also to pass on aeronautical culture – a fundamental part of the region’s identity. It accomplishes this by relaying knowledge and skills related to aviation industry careers, including airplane assembly and restoration, documentary research and the production of scientific and technical information, and knowledge exchange fostering the conservation of aviation heritage.
Through fun and interactive approaches to the discovery of the way aircraft are constructed, the way they work, piloting techniques, what goes on behind the scenes during a flight and much more, Aeroscopia's sincere hope is to introduce science and technology to a broad population and encourage young people to choose careers in these domains.
Aeroscopia's early success caught many people by surprise. Only six and a half months after opening, the museum surpassed 120,000 visitors, the number expected during the first year. And the crowds have hardly abated.
Several strategic decisions may have played a big part in Aeroscopia's prosperity, including the choice of the museum's location, an easy stroll from the A380 final assembly and flight preparations site. This enables the pooling of the museum’s ticketing service with those of the A380 factory tours, which bring in 150,000 visitors a year.
As a cultural, scientific and technical facility, Aeroscopia offers entertaining, informative, interactive experiences through its program of permanent and changing exhibitions, activities, events and festivals geared to all ages. An app, audioguides and even audiovisual guides are available in both adult and child versions and in multiple languages.
