Tom Stafford Air & Space Museum showcases articles from space missions

Photo Danzil Raines

More astronauts are from Oklahoma than any other state and because of Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford an outstanding air and space museum is located in Weatherford, 70 miles east of Oklahoma City along Route 66.

Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford was born in Weatherford, spent his childhood years there and graduated from Weatherford High School in 1948. Stafford went on to a successful career with NASA which included six missions and over 500 hours in space along with his command of the Apollo 10, the first lunar module to the moon in 1969.

The Thomas P. Stafford Air & Space Museum began with a few items that Stafford donated to the airport in Weatherford which was named the Thomas P. Stafford Airport to honor this hometown pioneer of space travel and exploration. The museum has grown today to over 35,000 square feet and honors the life and accomplishments of Stafford. The museum houses an actual flight suit that Stafford wore on the Apollo 10 along with many other artifacts that were actually in space on different missions.

The museum is a complete air and space experience. As the exhibit hall starts at the beginning of man’s dream to fly with a full size replica of the Wright Flyer that the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903. The exhibit continues on to a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, fighter jets and the weapons they carried, then continues into space travel with a replica of the Apollo Command Module. The largest item in the museum is an actual 94 foot Titan II missile.

The Stafford Air & Space Museum is truly unique to Oklahoma and a must see. Open 7 days a week at 3000 East Logan Road adjacent to Weatherford's Thomas P. Stafford Airport near I-40. Call 580-772-5871 for hours.