No father wants to write his son’s obituary.
But when Wilbur Wright died on May 30, 1912, his father, Milton Wright, had to record in his diary:
“A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance, and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadily, he lived and died!”

By the time he died, Wilbur Wright had:
- Overcome the puzzle that was the standard of impossibility, powered human flight
- Flown before kings, prime ministers, and presidents
- Was the 20th century’s first international celebrity
Wilbur Wright attributed the initial spark of curiosity to his father, Milton Wright.

The Wright Brothers’ exhibition tells this story here at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Take your family this weekend to the museum and feel their story come alive as you walk through this exhibit.
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