Mitchell Gallery of Flight - My Favorite Airport Museum

Quite a few airports have museums or historical displays and most are quite interesting.  San Francisco Airport’s museum is the most famous and accredited; they have changing exhibits spread across the airport.  A recent favorite of mine was TV’s over time and historic racing motorcycles.  SFO has a large budget and lands high profile exhibits worthy of any museum.  The disappointing aspect is there are rarely aviation themed displays. 

Early Television at SFO Museum

Classic Racing Motorcycles at SFO Airport Museum

Milwaukee has a permanent museum dedicated to aviation.  Most of the items are related to Milwaukee aviation or local famous aviators.  The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is my favorite airport museum.  The displays are relatively static (the Midwest meal service display is gone and an Airtran case is new) and generally interesting.  The museum is located in the main terminal outside security, can’t miss it.  The celebration of flight is everywhere and makes me enamored of the museum.

Mitchell Airport Museum, Milwaukee

Billy Mitchell Portrait

There is an impressive display on Billy Mitchell, famous WWI aviator and military aviation pioneer.  There is also a display of the evolution of flight and the growth of Milwaukee’s airport.  Jim Lovell, Gemini and Apollo astronaut and Naval aviator, has lent two cases of personal items from his flying career to display.  Most airlines operating from MKE have cases with model planes and information about their service.  Unique artifacts and models abound. 

Midwest Express, Now Aviation History

Mitchell Airport Museum Displays

Phoenix’s museum tries to be a local art gallery.  SFO tries to be a downtown museum.  ORD has a Hellcat bomber and a small case on Butch O’Hare.  Other airports follow suit with little or nothing on display, but only Milwaukee dedicates their museum (well Montevideo too) to the wonders of flight.  The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is worth a visit and don’t be surprised if you spend 15 or 30 minutes looking around.

Capt. James Lovell's NASA Gear on Display at MKE

Aspirational Aspects of Flight

Flight should be more than moving from A to B in the most efficient manner possible.  Domestic airlines don't sell this in their advertising, but foreign carries are still promoting this aspect of travel.  Here is an example of Pluna Airlines in Uruguay.  Really gets you excited about flying on a CRJ.

South American Adventure - Montevideo

1. Booking
2. DEN-IAD-ATL-MIA
3. Miami
4. MIA-SCL
5. SCL-IPC
6. Easter Island
7. IPC-SCL
8. Santiago
9. SCL-MVD
10. Montevideo
11. MVD-SCL-MIA-IAD-DEN

Montevideo has an architecturally stunning new airport.  There is only one taxi company operating there, Taxi Aeropuerto de Carrasco, and they charge about a 67% premium over local taxis going from town to the airport.  Taxi Aeropuerto advertises a new fleet of Mercedes and takes credit cards, so it I thought the service offered a premium experience.  Not exactly, the cab was dirty on the inside and I saw the steel belting on the tires.  I didn’t have a choice and they had my money, so off I went.

Montevideo, Uruguay

I arrived safely, if a touch car sick, at the Four Points by Sheraton Montevideo about 25 minutes later.  The hotel has an impressive lobby and friendly staff.  I was staying on points and received full Platinum status benefits, unlike the awful Intercontinental Santiago.  I was upgraded to a suite and had a welcome gift of Uruguayan wine, meats, and cheese.  The room was a tad dated, but nothing was worse than equivalently dated US Four Points.  After a quick email check, I planned out my day of sightseeing with the help of the front desk.  I had a map, a plan, and a goal of finding Chavita Marcos (as seen on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain).

Walking and Biking Path, Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo has a walking path that runs along the entirety of their coast line.  Along the path there are numerous parks and beaches (the ocean water was brown, so I didn't think about taking a dip).  It looks like the most popular place in town and most everything is just a few blocks from the shore.  I enjoyed my walk along gaining an insight into life as a local and was the only tourist I could spot.  After about 90 minutes of walking, I didn’t look at the map scale before I set off; I made it to Chavita Marcos.  The Chavita is Uruguay’s burger; it has beef, ham, cheese, and veggies.  It is incredibly filling and delicious, worth the walk, but next time I’ll take a cab. 

Chavita Marcos Sandwich Montevideo

McCafe Cake, Yes, It Was Amazing

The next block over was a mall and I went to find a shirt for my niece.  Once inside, I felt more like an anthropologist than a shopper.  I was endlessly fascinated with the mall layout, store designs, three McCafe’s, and watching locals shop.  I also found a cute tee shirt for my niece and had a slice of cake from McCafe.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay

I slept in the next morning, all I needed to do was buy and send some post cards before heading to the airport.  Despite my last four flights with LAN, I still had a Lufthansa sense of time and wanted to be punctual to check in for my flight.  The front desk called a cab for me even though they said I was leaving a little early.  The local cabs are cash only, but do accept US dollars (about 20 of theirs to 1 USD).  I confirmed the rate before leaving by showing the cabbie US$33 and saying areopuerto.  He eagerly nodded, covered the meter, and off we went.  We drove along the coast and I had a great time looking at the scenery on the way to airport.