Wright Brothers National Memorial

Name: Wright Brothers National Memorial
Address: 1401 National Park Drive, NC, Kill Devil Hills, Kill Devil Hills, US
Telephone: +1 252-473-2111

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About

Wright Brothers National Memorial preserves the site of the first successful controlled, sustained, powered heavier-than-air flights, achieved in 1903. Its outdoor grounds and visitor-centre museum are in Kill Devil Hills, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

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Why go

A life-sized replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer.
A full-scale 1902 glider model built under Orville Wright’s direction.
An 18-metre granite monument atop 27-metre Kill Devil Hill.
Two wooden sheds recreate the first aircraft hangar and the brothers’ quarters using period photographs.

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 17:00Show all

Monday09:00 – 17:00

Tuesday09:00 – 17:00

Wednesday09:00 – 17:00

Thursday09:00 – 17:00

Friday09:00 – 17:00

Saturday09:00 – 17:00

Sunday09:00 – 17:00

Don't miss

First Flight BoulderThe boulder marks the takeoff point.Memorial grounds
Four flight routesFollow the walking paths linking the takeoff and landing markers.Memorial grounds
Tower reliefsPanels depict early ideas and images associated with flight.Wright Brothers Monument
First-flight statuesThe group depicts the flight of 17 December 1903.At the monument’s base

Know before you go What's inside With kids Tips for your visit

Know before you go

Opening hours: Daily, 09:00–17:00.

What's inside

Models, tools, machines and a reproduction wind tunnel illustrate the Wrights’ experiments.
Portraits and photographs of other aviation pioneers line the glider display room.
The museum expansion for the flight centennial added artefacts, videos and exhibits.

With kids

Introduce children to Wilbur and Orville as self-taught engineers who used teamwork and the scientific process to solve the problem of flight.

Tips for your visit

Climb Big Kill Devil Hill to reach the monument commemorating the brothers’ achievement.

Tours and audio guides

Interpretive talks: The visitor centre hosts talks about the Wright brothers
Tower ascent: Sometimes available by reservation

Interesting facts3

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Kill Devil Hill has shifted slightly south because of the wind.
Kill Devil Hills - Wikivoyage (see)
A marine beacon sits atop the memorial tower.
Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wikipedia
The monument’s granite came from the North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex.
Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

1900–1903Wilbur and Orville Wright came from Dayton to the North Carolina coast, drawn by its steady winds and privacy. They tested gliders on a shifting dune that was later stabilised as Kill Devil Hill.
17 December 1903The brothers made four flights from level ground near the hill’s base, achieving the first successful controlled, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine.
2 March 1927The site was designated Kill Devil Hill Monument.
1930Robert Rodgers and Alfred Easton Poor’s design for the tower was selected.
4 December 1953Congress renamed the site and designated it a national memorial.

Show all

3 January 2001The visitor centre, designed by Ehrman Mitchell and Romaldo Giurgola, became a National Historic Landmark.
17 December 2003The park hosted the Centennial of Flight celebration, hosted by John Travolta with appearances by George W. Bush and astronauts.
2014The Centennial Pavilion closed and was slated for demolition because of budget constraints.

How to get there

Car1401 National Park Drive, Kill Devil Hills. Follow US Highway 158 to mile 7.5, then turn west.
CarFirst Flight Airport adjoins the memorial, with a runway for daytime use and tie-downs; no fuel or other services are available.

Sources: Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wikipedia · Kill Devil Hills - Wikivoyage (see) · Wright Brothers National Memorial (U.S. Nationa… · Plan Your Visit - Wright Brothers National Memo… · Basic Information - Wright Brothers National Me… · Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wikipedia · Wright Brothers National Memorial - Wikipedia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Where

1401 National Park Drive, NC, Kill Devil Hills

Website: nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm
Phone: +1 252-473-2111

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

How large is Wright Brothers National Memorial?

The park covers 1.73 square kilometres.

How long had the Wright brothers experimented before coming to Kitty Hawk?

They had experimented for four years.

Is the Centennial Pavilion at Wright Brothers National Memorial open?

It closed in 2014 and was slated for demolition because of budget constraints.

What work was done on Wright Brothers National Memorial in 2008?

The memorial was refurbished, and improved water-control measures were installed.

Which other sites share administration with Wright Brothers National Memorial?

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Cape Hatteras National Seashore share its administration.

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