National Air and Space Museum
July 22, 2014
Two days after this photo was taken, the stanchions came down and Hawaii by Air quietly opened to visitors in the museum’s West End gallery. The next day, it officially opened after a morning press preview.
Among the hundreds of exhibits I’d worked on, Hawaii by Air was unique. I came up with the idea, researched and wrote it, and guided it from start to finish. The story of air travel to Hawaii had never been told here. That, a modest budget, and minimal impact on other staff, is how I got it approved. It ran for 13 months and closed just as quietly on August 22, 2015. I was away, glad not to witness its demolition. I kept one yellow hibiscus blossom motif from the main panel and mounted it in my home.
What gave me the greatest satisfaction throughout my career was the work I brought upon myself, and Hawaii by Air ranks at the top. Although a minor exhibition, it brought a major donor to the museum, Hawaiian Airlines, which sponsored a lovely evening reception featuring Hawaii by Air that I got to attend. It inspired an author to write a book about the 1927 air race to Hawaii. Just this week, I was surprised to find myself referenced in a recent book on the history of seaside resorts. An online version of it lives on, for now, on the National Air and Space Museum website.
Hawaii by Air wasn’t my final museum project, but it was the last that I poured my heart into. Two months after it closed, I became one of the first and few pioneers in the new federal phased retirement program. Eight months after that, I turned in my keys.
Picture Perfect is a series of occasional short posts, each focused on a single image that captures a memory from travels past.
David Romanowski, 2022
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I must say that I was very impressed with the display and the obvious work that went into the research, design, layout, and presentation. I was proud to know the person that inspired the project!
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Thanks, Tad! I didn’t pull it off alone: there was designer Jennifer, educator Beth, and curator Bob (to keep me honest), and the whole exhibit production crew that built it, along with many others who contributed. But it was definitely my baby from start to finish.
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