The Flying Heritage Collection (FHC) in Everett recently opened a new interactive exhibit which explores the causes of war through unique, interactive and hands-on experiences. "Why War: The Causes of Conflict" explores the history of military conflicts throughout a country's history by focusing on the root causes.

The modern exhibit uses technology to provide a captivating experience sure to interest video game obsessed children. The common causes of war are explained through the eyes of key figures and pop culture references with the use of technology.

A large Data Visualization Wall dominates the exhibit space.  It consists of eight 98-inch large-scale touchscreens. Touching the wall, you can scroll through the cause, setting, events and icons of war and conflicts in American history.

Nuclear war and weaponry is explained with full scale replicas of "Fat Man" and "Little Boy", the bombs dropped on Japan during World War II.  The nuclear heat map is another interactive touchscreen exploring how atomic weapons have grown over the years.

Immerse yourself in history as you become a world leader reacting to rapidly changing events at the "Conflict Simulator Command Station". Players must make selections of critical choices.

"The Chronicles of War" touchscreens share the stories of real-world soldiers, women and children who were involved in war.  The stories are designed to share the impact that war has on people.

In addition to personal visits, the museum is equipped to handle field trips by school groups. The "Why War: The Causes of Conflict Curricula" was developed to enhance visits and can be used in history, economics and Civics classes.

The FHC is renowned for its collection of historic aircraft. In 1998, philanthropist Paul G. Allen began collecting and restoring WWII aircraft.  His collection became the basis for the FHC museum and he can now share his passion with the public. The aircraft in the collection are restored to as close to original condition as possible.  Each plane is painstakingly researched by the FHC team and original vendors are sought out to reconstruct vintage parts, paint and wiring. The goal is to bring each plane back to flying condition.

The airplanes are exhibited in the context of their time in what are called "Home fronts". The exhibits show the sacrifices made by citizens at home while also presenting the social and political context of the time.  

It is about an hour-and-a-half drive from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) area to Everett.  The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour is near the Flying Heritage Collection and the two make a good day trip from the JBLM area. The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour will be profiled in the March 30th edition of this paper.

The Flying Heritage Collection, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, 3407 109th St. SW, Everett, 206.342.4242, flyheritagecollection.com