Courtesy/Balloon Museum
Balloon Museum Foundation News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The Balloon Museum, Balloon Explorium and Balloon Museum Foundation announce a joint celebration of the birth of ballooning at the annual Montgolfier Days events. This year, the festivities will include educational and interactive activities aimed at teaching students about hot air balloons.
In the weeks leading up to the Montgolfier Days events Nov. 14 and 16, 2023, The Balloon Explorium will visit classrooms in 15 Albuquerque schools. Their mission: to inspire and educate students on the science and engineering principles behind hot air ballooning. During these in-school visits, teams of four students will have the unique opportunity to craft their own six-foot tissue paper balloons, learning firsthand about the intricacies of balloon construction.
Thanks to the generous support from The Balloon Museum Foundation, transportation will be provided for the participating students. Buses funded by the Foundation will transport the enthusiastic young scientists to the Balloon Museum, where they will have an exclusive museum tour, delving into the captivating history and science of ballooning.
The initiative will culminate in the Montgolfier Days events, where students will launch the balloons they made. This hands-on experience will allow the teams to function as a cohesive crew, further deepening their understanding of ballooning teamwork and physics. The teams will also be tasked with chasing and retrieving their balloons, an exhilarating challenge that promises to be a memorable event highlight. To ensure a seamless experience, a repair station will be set up on-site, offering the young scientists a chance to mend their balloons if necessary.
The Montgolfier Educational Days events, running from 9:30-11:30 a.m. both Nov. 14 and 16, are anticipated to host approximately 400 students each day. It underscores The Balloon Museum Foundation’s and The Balloon Explorium’s shared commitment to fostering a love for science, teamwork, and exploration in the next generation.
All over the world, Nov. 21 is celebrated as Montgolfier Day. Balloonists and aviators celebrate the anniversary of the birth of flight with the first free flight with human beings. The famous Montgolfier balloon was made of paper and silk by the Montgolfier brothers and was flown by two pilots in 1783 in Paris, France. The first flight was witnessed by the King of France and Benjamin Franklin.
About The Balloon Explorium:
The Balloon Explorium is a nonprofit bringing the wonders of aeronautics and aviation directly to students. By inspiring and guiding young minds, The Balloon Explorium ignites a lifelong passion for scientific exploration.
About the Balloon Museum
Named in honor of Albuquerque’s pioneering aeronauts Maxie Anderson and Ben Abruzzo, the museum opened in 2005, and has since welcomed over one million visitors from across New Mexico, the United States, and around the world. The mission of the museum is to inspire a spirit of exploration, discovery, and achievement through experiences that engage our visitors in the history, science, sport, and art of ballooning and other innovative forms of flight.
IG: @balloonmuseum
About the Balloon Museum Foundation
The Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization established to raise funds, foster public recognition, and promote and build membership for the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum is a collaborative project of the Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum Foundation and the City of Albuquerque, Department of Arts and Culture.
URL: Balloonmuseum.com
IG: @abqballoonfndn