Tukwila's Museum of Flight bidding for space shuttle

Tukwila's Museum of Flight [in Des Moines, Iowa] is seeking one of three retiring shuttles that staffers want to be permanently house at the museum.

"Our region has a rich history of aviation going back to the vision of Bill Boeing," said King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer, "The
Museum of Flight is a fitting retirement place for one of this nation's pioneering space shuttles."

"Bringing the space shuttle to our region as a permanent exhibit will be a compelling chapter in our nearly century old commitment to aerospace," said Larry Phillips, also a county councilman. "The Museum of Flight has demonstrated it has the vision, programs, and facilities necessary to showcase this part of our nation's scientific history."

The two sponsored a successful council motion that calls on President Barack Obama, NASA, and Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum to award the Tukwila museum one of the three space shuttles scheduled for retirement in late 2010 or early 2011.

Twenty-one facilities across the country responded to a NASA request for information for potential host sites. The Museum of Flight is believed to be among the last six finalists.

Hosts must provide a suitable climate-controlled indoor facility, be ready to take delivery between July and December 2011, and may be required to pay some of the costs to prepare and transport the shuttle.

The Museum of Flight is building a new gallery for the shuttle across the street from the current museum. The museum has raised $8 million of the $12 million necessary to build the facility.

Architectural design work on the building is nearly complete, a groundbreaking ceremony took place June 29, and construction will begin this fall in order to be ready for shuttle delivery by July 2011.

The museum is also involved in plans to construct a building for Aviation High School across from the museum.. The school, administered by the Highline School District, is temporarily located at the Olympic site in Des Moines.

The Museum of Flight has received letters of endorsement from Gov. Chris Gregoire, all the members of the Washington congressional delegation and several educational institutions to help it get a shuttle.

Four-hundred thousand people visit the Museum of Flight annually, including 120,000 students and teachers participating in educational programs. Adding the space shuttle as an exhibit is expected to increase attendance and create a variety of new educational opportunities.