The history of flight began much earlier than with Leonardo Da Vinci in the 15th century. It is very likely that the first flyer was a Muslim in the 9th century. Abbas Bin Firnas presented himself to the crowds on a hill near Cordoba, Spain in the year 880 where, as the chronicles recount, he covered his body in a bird costume, guided himself into the harness and told the crowd: “By guiding these wings up and down, I should ascend like the birds.

Interactive Aerodynamics Display

The interactive display explains the principles of flight, including lift, airfoil shape and gliding.
Abbas Bin Firnas Flying Machine

This exhibit is a detailed, artistic sculpture of Abbas Bin Firnas with his flying machine on a 1:5 scale.

AV Console

5 minute AV presentation on Abbas Bin Firnas’ flying machine