Aug 2, 2015, 9:45 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
C. R. Smith Museum
American Airlines history, 1940 DC-3 "Flagship Knoxville" NC-21798
American Airlines history, 1940 DC-3 "Flagship Knoxville" NC-21798
American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum
4601 Texas Highway 360
Fort Worth, Texas 76155
817-967-1560
Website: http://crsmithmuseum.org
Online store: http://store.crsmithmuseum.org/store/
Hours: The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. See site for exceptions (summer Sundays)
Guides: most are volunteers, retired AA employees.
Tickets: Museum Members: No Charge
Adult – $7;
Senior Citizens 65+, Military, Students (with ID), Children 2-17: $4:, Infants: No Charge
The C.R. Smith Museum takes visitors on a flight through American Airlines history, with interactive exhibits that entice participation by all age groups. The museum features hundreds of historical artifacts, photographs, full-scale aircraft engines and a rare Douglas DC-3 airliner. In addition, the museum’s state of the art 4K digital theater features Pursuit of Flight, a film, featuring the history and physics of aviation from ancient times through today.(Some memorabilia from TW, US, HP as well.)
Flyable AA Douglas DC-3 NC-21798 "Flagship Knoxville" - c/n 2202, built NOV 1940
More photos: link to Airways Magazine photos of C. R. Smith Museum
Link to Brendan Healey's photos of museum
Getting there:
From DFW airport: taxi (three miles, $19.50 each way due to taxi minima)
Über.
Unofficial: look for crew bus area, take AA Training and Conference Center / Flight Academy shuttle bus (half-hourly) and get dropped off at Museum. N. B. Transport is space available only (employees on business have priority).
These are directions for free van transport to the American Airlines Training and Conference Center, which I think is right on the same plot (and same side of the highway, I think.)
And generic driving instructions (but not to the Museum specifically-- to AATCC):
"From D/FW Airport:
Take the South exit out of DFW. Take the Highway 360 South Arlington exit, which bears to the right. Exit 1/4 mile onto the access road to FAA Road. Continue to the three-way stop sign. Go straight through intersection. "
Address of the Smith Museum:
4601 Texas Highway 360 at FAA Road
Fort Worth, Texas
And generic driving instructions (but not to the Museum specifically-- to AATCC):
"From D/FW Airport:
Take the South exit out of DFW. Take the Highway 360 South Arlington exit, which bears to the right. Exit 1/4 mile onto the access road to FAA Road. Continue to the three-way stop sign. Go straight through intersection. "
Address of the Smith Museum:
4601 Texas Highway 360 at FAA Road
Fort Worth, Texas
I'll be having a 6 hour stopover at DFW and I really want to go to the museum, but I'm a cheap student not willing to spend more than a couple of bucks to go there so I made some googling and what I could get was:
1.- You take the shuttle from your terminal to the South Remote Parking Lot. (I believe it's free, and every 15min)
2.- You take the shuttle from the South Remote Parking Lot to the "Centreport/DFW" TRE Station. (I believe it's free, and every 15 min)
3.- You take the "T 30 Centreport Circulator" which costs $1.50 o/w from the Centerport/DFW TRE Station to the AA Flight Academy. The catch: It's only Monday through Friday, 1 bus every 45 minutes and it just works during commuting time (6:00 to 8:00 and 15:00 to 18:00)...
1.- You take the shuttle from your terminal to the South Remote Parking Lot. (I believe it's free, and every 15min)
2.- You take the shuttle from the South Remote Parking Lot to the "Centreport/DFW" TRE Station. (I believe it's free, and every 15 min)
3.- You take the "T 30 Centreport Circulator" which costs $1.50 o/w from the Centerport/DFW TRE Station to the AA Flight Academy. The catch: It's only Monday through Friday, 1 bus every 45 minutes and it just works during commuting time (6:00 to 8:00 and 15:00 to 18:00)...
Update: 2 Aug 2015 JDiver
DFW and the AA / C. R. Smith Museum in Dallas (consolidated)
Jan 8, 2001, 7:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Programs: DL PM, IHG Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 166
DFW and the AA / C. R. Smith Museum in Dallas (consolidated)
Hi,
Has anybody been to the AA Museum in Dallas, TX? If so, do you know how far it is from the airport and how much time it takes to go through the museum?
Tony
Has anybody been to the AA Museum in Dallas, TX? If so, do you know how far it is from the airport and how much time it takes to go through the museum?
Tony
Jan 8, 2001, 7:47 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, QF PLT, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,425
Absolutely. The CR Smith museum is a nice little place. It's a 5-10 taxi ride south of the airport. If you do take a taxi, make sure that you coordinate a pick-up time, as taxis are unreliable, especially for near-airport pick-ups.
They've got a large screen 10-15 minute movie, with some great aerial sequences, lots of exhibits & the restored DC-3. I think it's worth two hours at least.
If you haven't been by AA's corporate page, they do have information as current as anything else on aa.com, and it does have some good information.
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My Aviation Pages
My Travel Pages
They've got a large screen 10-15 minute movie, with some great aerial sequences, lots of exhibits & the restored DC-3. I think it's worth two hours at least.
If you haven't been by AA's corporate page, they do have information as current as anything else on aa.com, and it does have some good information.
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My Aviation Pages
My Travel Pages
Jan 8, 2001, 1:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DF-dubyah!
Posts: 379
I visted the museum back in 1997... cool place! If I remember correctly, they have a wall with plaques of customers that have travelled 1 million miles or more. Hopefully my name will be up there soon. 
The DC-3 outside is a nice touch. Do they still let people inside it? If so... on a hot Dallas day, hold your breath when you step inside... you can smell 60 years of funk inside.
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preez mine da pratform gahp.
[This message has been edited by ChuckDEE (edited 01-08-2001).]
The DC-3 outside is a nice touch. Do they still let people inside it? If so... on a hot Dallas day, hold your breath when you step inside... you can smell 60 years of funk inside. ------------------
preez mine da pratform gahp.
[This message has been edited by ChuckDEE (edited 01-08-2001).]
Jan 8, 2001, 1:34 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, QF PLT, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,425
The DC-3 is now inside, and it's been spruced up after the years outside in static display.
I have never been at the museum at a time when you could get inside the DC-3, though I understand this is possible on occasion.
I have never been at the museum at a time when you could get inside the DC-3, though I understand this is possible on occasion.
Jan 9, 2001, 1:19 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: DFW, 3.5 MM, AA EXP, LIFETIME PLATINUM, MARRIOTT LIFETIME PLATINUM, STARWOOD AMBASSADOR 223 NIGHTS, AND LIFETIME GOLD, HILTON DIAMOND, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE ELITE
Posts: 5,847
yes - well worth the time. 2 hrs. is plenty - there are several interactive exhibits and i thought the volunteers were very friendly.
i have to admit, AA has done a good job here.
i have to admit, AA has done a good job here.
Jan 9, 2001, 8:40 am
#9
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Programs: AA2MM
Posts: 1,754
I haven't been there yet, but I do have the new video that they play in the IMAX theater. Wouldn't it be nice to have a little FT meeting down in DFW?
Another tip is that I've head you can (they will let you) take the AA employee bus over to the training building, and the CR Smith is right next door.
Another tip is that I've head you can (they will let you) take the AA employee bus over to the training building, and the CR Smith is right next door.
Jan 9, 2001, 8:59 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, QF PLT, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,425
Jan 9, 2001, 10:30 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DF-dubyah!
Posts: 379
I guess the next question would be... do they have MRTT(theatre)installed yet? As I recall, the theatre had the old first class seats, which were uncomfortable, and weren't worth the upgrade. Maybe they'll put the Flagship Suites in soon, and they'll give operational upgrades to all GLD, PLT and EXP members viewing the movie during their tour of the museum.
Sorry for being a smart ...... couldn't resist. Cheers! Enjoy the museum!
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preez mine da pratform gahp.
As I recall, the theatre had the old first class seats, which were uncomfortable, and weren't worth the upgrade. Maybe they'll put the Flagship Suites in soon, and they'll give operational upgrades to all GLD, PLT and EXP members viewing the movie during their tour of the museum. Sorry for being a smart ...... couldn't resist.
Cheers! Enjoy the museum!------------------
preez mine da pratform gahp.
Jan 9, 2001, 9:33 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 1,442
I was there on Dec 30th, and is well worth the trip. I think that as much thanks is due to the ex-employees of AA who have really worked so hard on the thing. The DC3 is wonderful, you can go in. Even in winter the back of the plane tells you where the bathroom is. Need I say more? Don't miss it.
Sep 4, 2001, 10:52 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,425
C.R. Smith Museum
Has anyone visited the C.R. Smith museum while on a layover at DFW? Is there any public transportation or does anyone know the approximate one-way cost of a taxi from the AA terminals?
Sep 5, 2001, 5:13 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, QF PLT, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,425
It's conceivably possible, though since I live nearby, I haven't personally tried it.
First off, yes, it is possible to take a taxi, but I find taxi pick-ups to be unreliable.
Your best bet would be to seek out the AA shuttle going to the Conference & Training Center. It leaves from the upper level of the AA terminals and drops you off adjacent to the museum.
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Party in the Metroplex -- September 21-23, 2001
First off, yes, it is possible to take a taxi, but I find taxi pick-ups to be unreliable.
Your best bet would be to seek out the AA shuttle going to the Conference & Training Center. It leaves from the upper level of the AA terminals and drops you off adjacent to the museum.
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Party in the Metroplex -- September 21-23, 2001
Sep 5, 2001, 5:46 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 1,442
Yes! I have visited it twice. Once on my own and once with my partner. I was most impressed. It is a labour of love, and is manned by a lot of retired AA employees, bless them, who obviously love the place, and enjoyed what they did for a living. We were able to visit the DC3 (the smell insied took me right back to my first flight). It is not that far from the terminals - but it is off the airport premeses. I cannot recommend it strongly enough and do visit the movie showing. It makes you want to rush out and jump on a flight - anywhere.
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