My very first Oshkosh in the books! Holy moly I was not prepared for just how massive this airshow is. We came on a weekday morning with 3 toddlers who were very excited to see some airplanes, and that's exactly what they did! There was thousands of them! If you or someone in your family is a fan of airplanes/helicopters, this is the place for you. We had so much fun touring the different aircrafts, watching the planes and helicopters fly, and people watching! The parking situation at the designated lot was easy, and from there they have buses running to the actual show grounds. This space is HUGE -- wear comfortable shoes! There are trams running periodically up and down the main road, but once it becomes busy they are few and far between - we ended up walking all of it (with a wagon for the kiddos). We probably experienced 5% of the offerings at the airshow, but wow did we have fun. If you've got a toddler, I recommend grabbing some noise cancelling headphones so they can enjoy the fighter jets if you're lucky enough to catch a show! We enjoyed some popcorn, ice cream, pretzels, and frozen lemonade while wandering around. Delicious classic fair food that was reasonably priced. We can't wait to come back as our son gets older and continue to make memories here! read more

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If you love airplane history this is the place for you. The museum focuses on the aircrafts but does include stories of several famous pilots throughout history. They also partner with the airport to offer Young Eagle flights for children. If you visit outside of AirVenture then you'll practically have the place to yourself. Pro Tip: Join EAA and with their reciprocal museum benefits you can visit hundreds of science museums across the nation. read more

Awesome museum for sir and space lovers. That's is all just go! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable the exhibits are great and who knew this little place existed it's actually quite big in the middle of nowhere? read more

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Awesome collection of experimental and historical planes. For aviation and aerospace enthusiasts plan on spending at least 5 hours to see, experience and read through interesting exhibits. read more

EAA Aviation Museum - Entrance - Museums Near Me - Oshkosh, Wisconsin

I've enjoyed it for decades. Great Place. Quite a series of exhibits--my favorite area is just the ground floor with everything from the Wright Flyer to tiny little bugs you wouldn't think would fly. read more

A very well done aircraft museum. So many airplanes and well done displays. Worth a stop if you're in the area read more

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The plane show the firework show and you guys are great and it is a really good great business

It was our first time at this museum with our 3 kids on Friday, 11/28. We went up from Chicago to visit. The museum was pretty empty, probably because it was the Friday after Thanksgiving. We enjoyed looking around and the kids had the most fun in the kids' area. A lot of things were down, but still had fun. It was about 20-30 minutes before closing and clearly still had time, but his elderly lady that worked there was telling us to leave. Our kids were not loud or running around. They were quietly playing at one of the exhibits. Our youngest (2 yrs old) was playing with a large bouncy ball and she told him to give it to her. He tried to throw it to her, but went passed her. She said sternly, "Go get it!", like she would to a dog. She was very rude and I was furious. I was going to say something to her, but just decided to leave. We went downstairs and since we still had time, checked out the military area and she just kept following us around. It was very uncomfortable. We used the restroom before leaving and she followed us there as well, until we left through the front door. What a way to end a nice trip to the aviation museum! I've never had this kind of treatment visiting a museum and we've visited plenty. If she is still working there, I will not make another visit there or recommend this museum to anyone with kids. What a disappointment.. **And a side note, it seems like she's been there doing this type of thing for years now. I saw a review with a similar instance of her mistreating families with children from 5 years ago. What a shame.. I hope something is done. read more

I stopped by today to check them out because it was pouting and my outdoor activity's were not going to happen. I like museums and I try to find new ones all the time but I have never been to an aviation museum before and I have been in the Oshkosh area many many times. The museum is in fact an operating real airport property, Wittman regional airport. It's the busiest airport in the world one week of the year with 500000 visitors and 10000 planes, the world's largest aircraft gathering. I know very little about aircraft but I like all things transportation. It's really big on the inside with everything aviation and I mean everything from flying simulators and interactive displays to exhibits to real planes. The gift shop is huge with everything from clothes to model planes. As far as museums go this one is very well done and looks very professional I must say. Nothing super big on the inside and some bigger aircraft around the building but no huge aircraft. Helicopters are minimal as they focus on planes. I would definitely recommend going once because it's unique and cool. read more

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This was our first experience with EAA. We only went for one day. I was unsure about how we would be received as we represented two marginalized groups, African-Americans and women. All of the vendors we went to were super helpful and informative. Thank you to EAA and the vendors. In the future, it would be helpful to have more ground signage for buildings. It was hard to navigate even with the map. If it had not been for two guys who saw that we were lost and gave us a ride on their golf cart, we would not have made it to the other side of the grounds for our scheduled forum. Dress comfortably for lots of walking and stay hydrated. Ask all of your questions. Plan your forums and events strategically as the venues/vendors may be far from each other. read more

We did not come for the festival--just a museum trip with one 6yo and two 4yo. Had a good time, but it will be even better when they can read. read more

Wonderful aviation museum! Lots of detailed information about the city and community and individual planes. Planes hang from the ceiling and the Lots of interactive activities and areas for kids of an older age. The local schools always have field trips here The museum is very close to main areas of retail shopping and food options as well as right off the highway. Many local events and charity events like Hops and Props are hosted here yearly. During Christmas they have a Santa for the children. EAA AirVenture brings in lots of money and traffic each year for the city. People from all over the world fly in to attend, even celebrities! A place of pride and joy in Oshkosh! read more

Surely I've reviewed this? Maybe I just reviewed one specific year I went, and the museum, and Oshkosh the city, and Ardy and Ed's, and all the other things that make up the background for the airshow. Airventure." "The EAA Airshow." "The Oshkosh Airshow." Or even just "EAA" or "Oshkosh," for those who go all the time, since it is that important in their lives (and to those two entities.)" Of course it's more than just an airshow, or even a week of daily (and sometimes nightly) airshows. There are demonstration flights, forums on all sorts of topics, talks by authors and famous pilots, movies, concerts, and hours and hours of walking through exhibit buildings and along the flightline. 10000 or more planes. Hundreds of thousands of people. It's kind of a big deal. I've been coming for more than 35 years. Almost every year for about 20 of them; less frequently as I get older and now that I have a kid. (She'll come when she's a few years older.) At first I camped, and that is still an option, and a good one since it puts you right on the site. Be prepared for a big rain during your stay, the kind that makes people talk about arks. You can stay at a hotel, if you book far enough out (years.) You can rent a house from a local who gets out of town to avoid the crowds. Or if you're lucky, like me, you can stay with friends or family. Whichever way, you wake to the sound of planes. Not just any planes, but often T-6s, or P-51s, or a B-17. Ah, the sound of Merlins and radials in the morning. Spend a few days at the show. Seriously. There is so much to see and do. It ain't cheap, but it's worth it. Use the buses and tractor trolleys where you can; there is a lot of walking. Bring your comfy shoes, sunscreen, a hat, maybe a light folding chair and a backpack. Prepare to be outside all day. Yes, duck into buildings or visit the museum, but you will be outside amongst planes and plane nuts most of the time. Food is on site, and a bit expensive, and not always great- though there are better options nowadays. Water is available at fountains throughout the grounds, so bring a bottle to refill. And hydrate! Portapotties are all over. Visit warbirds, antiques, ultralights, whatever you like. Watch the show from the crowded center, or the less-populated ends of the flightline. Go to some forums (check the schedule- there are tons.) Oh, and go to the seaplane base for a break. There's a free bus, and it is peaceful, quiet, less crowded, and cooler. It's amazing. It's Mecca for anyone interested in aviation. And it happens for a whole week every year. read more

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Since I live in Chicago, I was unaware of this yearly air show event until I heard about it on Elgin talk radio WRMN 1420AM. I am avid listener to talk radio and that's a good thing, because I never would of driven all the way up to Wisconsin, if it wasn't for the interesting things that I heard on the radio station about the Air Show event. So I drove up to Oshkosh Wisconsin with two friends. It was a nice experience. Great looking airplanes, nice air show but it gets pretty crowded towards the afternoon. If you are an aviation buff, this place is a must-see. Five stars.. read more

What a fantastic organization that appears to last only last a week. It's a huge fly in for most of America and beyond. This is pretty much the Mecca of all things flight related from sport, historic,experimental, glider, parachute, drone, propeller, jet, vintage, warbirds. Last year was my first fly in I experienced the whole thing from sun up to night shows. Camping just off the wing at the South 40 vintage area. All meals were either inside. Or just across the street for dinners. I've admired flight from ground and air and plan to join in again for #osh20 11/2019 Food 4 Amb 5 Service 4 Location 4 Value 4 read more

I went on Dads day, early, so I practically had the place to myself. If your an aviation fan, then you'll love it. I was solo, so I spent nearly 3 hours here. The collection is vast. They have a lot of unique airplanes. Free shuttle rodeo over to the pioneer airport side to see 5 more hangars of planes. Inexpensive and interesting. read more

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Hold up. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh only has 5 reviews?! Maybe folks aren't searching this out on Yelp. Probably the second is more true. But I'm gonna drop some truth here real nice and simple: Is it worth the drive to watch planes do things that it seems like they shouldn't do? Yes. Is it more worth it to see planes that history tries to forget but folks and organizations like EAA are determined to remember? Yes. Is it worth it to fly in one of the most unique approach and ATC experiences i the world? Yes. Pyrotechnics? Yeah buddy. Anything you could ever want for an airplane? Yup. Cool rides and experiences for kids? Definitely. You don't need to be an aviation geek like me to dig what EAA is doing at Oshkosh. This really is for everyone. And it happens every dang year. See you next year! read more

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Fun to walk through, but may need an update soon especially in the kids area, but all in all a good time killer to walk through.

As Aircraft Museums go the EAA Aviation Museum has a decent amount of space and exhibits on display. While it is not the size of National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH, it has an impressive lineup of aviation history on display and can easily be enjoyed in three to five hours. For comparison, we have been to the USAF Museum twice and still haven't seen everything. They have replicas of the Wright Flyer as well as Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis that he flew as the first to make it across the Atlantic. There are many other historic and vintage aircraft on display as well as audio and video exhibits and various displays of historic significance. There are banquet rooms available for various functions as well as a gift shop for you to buy important things. Definitely worth a visit! read more

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Beautiful wedding venue! I cannot begin to express how exciting, fun, stimulating, and just amazing the experience was. This museum is beautiful and I will gladly be back read more

Amazing place to go and week to spend. I would recommend anyone to do this. The flying community is a group of amazing ppl who are passionate about the their interests. Not to mention the airshows and fireworks are stunning read more

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Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) provides an annual airplane show every July in Oshkosh, WI. The event was originally called the, "Fly-In," but in 1998 the name was changed to, "AirVenture." A large museum with over 200 aircraft, and a gift shop, is located next to the landing strip. At this gift shop I bought a book on aerobatic stunts, including the "Hammerhead" and the "Inside-Outside Snap Roll." On two occasions I drove from Madison, WI, where I lived to Oshkosh to see the event, and I took about 30 photographs. ORIGIN OF WHITE SMOKE. I did some homework, and learned that the source of the white "smoke" is something called, "smoke oil," which is a low viscosity paraffin oil. The oil gets pumped into the hot exhaust nozzle that releases exhaust from the airplane's piston engine. The oil gets vaporized, creating the thick white smoke. The smoke oil is not burned, it is only vaporized. This information is from these two sources: (1) Warter Racing in Poland; (2) Smoking Airplane Smoke Systems. PHOTOGRAPHS (please CLICK on photos to make BIG). My photographs show: (1) P-38 airplane and a huge puff of black smoke. The P-38 is flying sideways, in order that the audience can easily see the double-fuselage construction of this airplane. For more information on the P-38, please see, THE LOCKHEED P-38 LIGHTNING EARLY VERSIONS by Robert Peczkowski, THE LOCKHEED P-38 LIGHTNING by Warren Bodie, and P-38 LIGHTNING Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by David Doyle. (2) Attendees walking under curved sign that reads, "International Experimental Aircraft Association FLY-IN CONVENTION. (3) Seventeen airplanes flying in formation, where three of the airplanes are releasing white smoke. Below that and on the ground are six American flags. What lends artistic merit to this photograph is the appearance of white stripes in the sky, and white and red stripes below that on the flags. (4) Three airplanes, each releasing white smoke, performing an aerobatic maneuver that produces trails of smoke resembling flower petals opening up. (5) Three airplanes flying in formation, where all three release white smoke, thereby creating three parallel arches of white smoke. Below that and on the ground are three American flags where the wind causes these flags to be unfurled, where the unfurled flags result in three patterns of parallel lines. What provides artistic merit to this photograph is the repeated motifs of the parallel lines (white lines in the sky, red and white lines on the flags), and the fact that there are three airplanes in the sky and three flags on the ground. read more

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Excellent museum in terms of the artifacts they have on display, the information posted, the design and layout, as well as the helpful lowkey but well informed staff. The only better aviation museum I've been to is the Smithsonian and that's not a fair comparison. Well worth a trip just for this museum, more than three hours of interesting stuff to learn about. I wouldn't recommend this or really any real museum for young children, but this is a very good place for more mature children to learn about transportation and flying technology and history. Ample parking, great value for admission price. read more

I've been to numerous aviation museums over my lifetime. This one stands highest amongst them all! I'm sure the Smithsonian is bigger and better, but I haven't been there yet. I visited during the 2019 Airventure fly-in. There is so much to see. Bring your reading glasses to get the background on displays. From the early days of aviation to the space age, they have that and lots in between. Nice, clean, and air conditioned facility...and very modern! Most aviation museums I've been to have outside displays. There were only a few here. My friend said they may have relocated some because of the fly-in. Regardless, there is plenty to see. If you stopped and read every display and watched every video you'd easily be here all day! If you love aviation and are nearby, this is one of those must stop locations! read more

EAA is always an interesting place to go. I have gone six out of seven years. I only missed 2020 because it was closed due to COVID. Is always good to go see the airplanes. The airshows are the best I have seen. The EAA discussion groups are worthwhile. All are worth attending. read more

A must stop for all aviation enthusiasts! No doubt one can spend 3 hours here. All ages enjoy this museum.

Absolutely a must see if you are nuts about planes or not. Wonderful people and a great experience.

Came to Oshkosh, WI for a business trip and had already planned to come and visit this museum. Not used to the 20 degree weather but it didn't affect the experience. I came in and the front desk lady was really nice. After paying for my ticket I was greeted by one of the tour guides who was an elderly lady and very nice. She explained to me everything that was available in the museum and was very helpful throughout the stay. Now I don't know much about planes or the history of it but this museum has a lot to show. They have so many plane models and plane parts that I'm pretty sure anyone that knows about planes very well would definitely enjoy it. My personal favorite was the WW2 section. They have old equipment on display that was used at the time and it was amazing to see them. I didn't have my kids with me because it was a work trip but they have a kids section with games that I know for fact my daughters would have loved. Overall this museum is great and I will definitely plan to bring my family here in the future. read more

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Visited while traveling through the area. Large museum with lots of displays. Very open and wasn't crowded at all.

AirVenture is an experience any aviation-interested human needs to get to. That's just all there is to it. For one week, this becomes the busiest airport in the whole entire freaking world. Isn't that amazing? The week is full of cool planes, amazing airshows (OMG, they can do that?) and 400k people coming through. A lot of people fly in and camp right by the plane. That's what we did. It's crazy awesome. I wish I had more words. If you come, be prepared to talk aviation. I only stayed for the weekend, but wish I was there longer. Really enjoyed the night and day airshows, the F16s, the re-enactments of world events and visiting all the booths. read more

Outstanding museum. Not only is it a flight museum,they also have many other activities throughout the year that make it this not only a museum but an event center read more

We came in around 3p and they close at 5, but we still managed to see a lot of what the museum had to offer. We were greeted by a man who explained all the different areas on the map to us, which helped is narrow down what we wanted to see in our short time there. Extensive display of aircraft from biplanes to a flying car, to space craft. An entire wing just for WWII planes and dioramas. Every display was very informative. A shuttle takes you from the main museum to outdoor hangers, each dedicated to a different homebuilder and their aircraft. Kids 8-17 years old can also take a short flight in an old airplane for free! Could spend days looking through everything. Highly recommend and worth every penny of the admission cost. read more

EAA Aviation Museum - Replica Spirit of St. Louis - Museums Near Me - Oshkosh, Wisconsin

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There is nothing in Aviation quite the same as EAA and the air show they put on. Coming to a place where most people fly, instead of drive in, is a spectacular thing. I have been attending sporadically for about 25 years, but my grandfather has every year since it was held in Rockford in the 70's. Air shows showcase the power, talent, ingenuity, and courage that created aviation, especially when coupled with the experimental nature highlighted at EAA. I can't think of a more elaborate public air show than held at Oshkosh. Waking up each morning in a tent to the helicopters buzzing overhead, and planes dashing down the runway may sound like a warzone, but is a cue to the day ahead of people from all over the world coming together to celebrate aviation. I work in the aerospace/defense industry and seeing a group of people put together an airplane with sheet metal and rivets in one week grounds you. For those not used to being around military jets, the presence here is typically outstanding. For the first time in years, i ventured off the main base and to the seaplanes, where i plan on spending a greater deal of time in the future. read more

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If you are fascinated by airplanes.. If you are a pilot.. If you enjoy getting up close and personal.. If you enjoy watching aerial stunt planes.. If you enjoy fighter jet fly-by's.. If you enjoy skydiving shows.. If you enjoy war planes being resurrected.. If you enjoy vendor shopping.. Etc.. This show is for you! Kid friendly. Ear muffs recommended for the little ears during show times. Alcohol not served until 5:00pm and must be kept in contained serving area. Outdoors, plenty of shaded areas but a chair or blanket and umbrella recommended for watching the show. Seamlessly planned out to the T, including traffic flow, spatially comfortable. Even when it's at full capacity there is plenty of breathing room. You can come for the day, night, or week. Drive in, get a hotel, tent camp or RV it. Although early reservations are highly recommended. Check out the website for all the details including dates, prices, vendors, parking, maps, camping etc. no details left out! Tennis shoes are a MUST! The entire airport is covered end to end with planes and vendors. The EAA AirVenture Airshow is a must do at least once in your life! Future EAA AirVenture Oshkosh dates: 2019 - July 22-28 2020 - July 20-26 read more

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Homegrown vegetables, wholesome. Homemade dumplings, delicious. Homebuilt aircraft, really? If you have to see it to believe it, look no further than Oshkosh, WI. I am not really into aircraft, but I found what's on display here imaginative and full of character. I don't see the builders as engineers, but dreamers, visionaries and daredevils. After all, who else would fly homebuilt planes around the world? It's hard not to be awed and inspired when you walk through this relatively compact museum (compared to the National Air and Space Museum in DC). Just don't expect to see multi-million-tax-dollar fighter jets here. Some of the more famous aircraft in the museum are not originals, but expertly done full-size replicas, such as the SpaceShipOne and the Spirit of St. Louis. Preserving and rebuilding iconic aircraft in civil aviation history is part of what EAA does, and it's done through the contributions from aviation enthusiasts. We avoided the museum during the yearly air show when it's way too crowded. Luckily living a short flight away allowed us to fly in on a random Sunday. A friendly employee at Orion Flight Service gave us a lift to Friar Tuck for lunch and to the museum afterwards. We also rode the John Deere tram to Pioneer Airport (part of the museum), which, as the name implies, is an airport from the bygone era, open weekends only from May through October. If you ever want to take to the sky in airworthy vintage planes from the Golden Age of Aviation and to feel what it's like to take off and land on a grass runway, don't miss out.* I heard they offer ski plane ride in late January and that might be enough to get this southern gal up here again. *Each ride costs around $75 per adult. Museum admission is $12.50 per adult (free for EAA members). read more

EAA Aviation Museum - Replica of SpaceShipOne, which completed the first manned private spaceflight in history in 2004. - Museums Near Me - Oshkosh, Wisconsin

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This is a bit of an insider review since I worked there years ago and have attended for the last 20 years. This event covered all types of aviation. Vintage, military, home built, drone, aerobatic and more. There are roughly 500,000 people that attend each year. 1. Book your hotel a year in advance if you want to stay in Oshkosh. 2. Buy your ticket "wristband" online before you go to avoid the lines. 3. Wear your very most comfortable walking shoes. 4. Sunscreen and a hat are a must. 5. Stay hydrated, water is for sale and they have some fountains to fill your water bottle. 6. Backpack or cross body bag is vital. 7. I wouldn't recommend carrying in a chair. You have to carry it all day and it's hard to visit the trade show booths when it's busy with a bulky chair. Sit in the grass to watch the air show. 8. The food has dramatically improved over the last 20 years. There are salads and other healthier options now. 21. There are some indoor bathrooms attached to the exhibit halls. 22. There is a huge campground with rustic and modern sites right on grounds. Reserve your camping online. 23. Download the app for the year. It will cut down on trying to find info in the program. 24. Don't be afraid to take one of the tractor pulled shuttles. Getting from ultralights to the military area is a hike. Save your legs for walking around the planes. 25. Be nice to the people in blue staff shirts. It is highly likely they have been working for the last three weeks, 10 hour days, 7 days a week and work here year round. 26. Be nice to the people in volunteer tee shirts. There are more than 5,000 of these people helping out. They may not know the answer you are looking for. Again they are just helping out and may not be helping out in the area you are standing in. 27. Come later in the day on the night airshow days, it's a must see. 28. Take breaks during the day. There are some shady areas and benches. Have a seat and people/plane watch for a bit. 29. Make friends. The people who attend this show are some of the friendliest people you will meet. If you would like to fly or have questions ask. They will likely have a ton of info to share. 30. Don't think you can see or do it all in one day. There are 800 booths in the trade show, 10,000 aircraft, daily airshows, 100's of classes and lectures. It's a lot. Check out the app and website and plan a bit before you go. BONUS TIPS: if your spouse is really into aviation and you are not, there are many booths that sell luxury goods, busses that can take you to the outlet mall or other points around Wisconsin and special kids and craft areas. read more

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This museum gets better every year! Great place to bring your kiddos and big one as well! Great staff, very informative. Looks like a great place for summer camps read more

This has been my first museum i've been to and I loved it. Not just cause. I'm a aviation enthusiast, but because they show you incredible history! Whenever I go there I just get the excitement of the air show! read more

Was looking for a place to take my dad who was visiting from out of town and living less than a mile from the museum I figured it was finally time to check it out. I wish I had not waited so long. This is an amazing museum. Lots of stuff to see. We didn't have a lot of time and after spending an hour there we only saw a small section of what they have. The places are AMAZING! They have many planes that have been rebuilt to be on display in the exact size and color that they were when they were flying. They have a whole other hanger that also has tons of planes. Didnt get to check that out but I am sure it was just as amazing as the main building. If you are needing a good place to take the kids/family this holiday season thats out of the cold. I would recommend this place. read more

I've gone here a couple times when I take my little brother through Big Brothers, Big Sisters as he loves airplanes and is an EAA member. The museum is big and open which makes sense since there planes hanging from the ceiling. It's cool to learn about how the plane has changed and evolved through out it's history, plus how planes work. My little bro and I like going to the Kids Adventure area as there are more hands-on activities. Even though they're all fun, they do a good job explaining the basics on how planes fly. Our favorite game there is the flight simulator, as you get an "idea" of how to fly a plane. Going here I've learned that if there's a button, I'm going to press it. My curiousity leads me to new discoveries at this mseum. read more

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