The Virginia Aviation Museum was built near the Richmond International Airport in 1987.  It houses a collection of antique airplanes as well as various hands-on exhibits explaining the science and history of flight.  It is run by the Science Museum of Virginia.  In 1862, near the same site where the museum and airport are located today, the Union used hot air balloons to spy on the Confederate troops during the Battle of Seven Pines.  A monument remembering these Civil War balloonists was built on the 100th anniversary of the battle in 1962. The land here is part of the Coastal Plain region of Virginia, and its flatness is well-suited for an airport. The Richmond International Airport was built here in 1927 and is Virginia’s 4th busiest airport with over 3 million travelers passing through each year. UPDATE: The museum closed in 2016, and its collection was moved to the Shannon Museum in Fredericksburg, VA. (Trouble viewing the YouTube video? Try Vimeo or direct link).

Did you know that Thaddeus Lowe, leader of the Union Balloon Corps, used tethered balllons (tied to the ground) instead of free floating balloons to keep him from floating over enemy forces and being fired at? This also allowed him to stretch a telegraph wire from the balloon to the ground for instant communication. He could even launch from a boat and land back on it using this method as pictured in the drawing above. (Wikipedia)


This is a Google map of the Richmond Airport. Use the +/- button in the corner to zoom in or out.



This is a 360 view of the Civil War Balloonists Monument (well, the back of it). Click and drag to look around.


HC.2a The student will examine the influence of physical and cultural geography on Henrico County.

HC.2b The student will analyze, interpret, and demonstrate knowledge of significant historical events and ideas in Henrico County history.