On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to achieve controlled sustained flight with a pilot aboard. The Wright brothers had invented the first successful airplane. Learn more about how the Wrights' impact on the 20th century below.
1903 Wright Flyer
Visit the 1903 Wright Flyer at the Museum in Washington, DC.
1903 Wright Flyer
Exhibitions
Learn more about the Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age in our online exhibition.
Exhibitions
Videos
Learn more about the Wright brothers and early flight by exploring our archivedLectures.
Videos
Stories
Read through our blog to dive deep into the history of theWright brothers.
Stories