Design and fly your own supersonic fighter jet at the Above and Beyond exhibit at MOSI.

INSIDE LOOK: Soar with us at the new ‘Above and Beyond’ exhibit at MOSI

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Get ready to soar this summer at MOSI's new summer exhibit, “Above and Beyond”, an interactive experience where you can learn about the history of flight, experience for yourself how birds master flight, and even see a slice of a real airplane's fuselage to help answer the question…how'd they do that?

And you know it's going to be good since it was created in collaboration with Boeing, NASA, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

“At MOSI, we want to spark the kind of curiosity that leads to big ideas,” said MOSI CEO John Graydon Smith. “Right now, there’s so much excitement around space and exploration. This exhibit gives everyone a new, hands-on way to capture that energy and enthusiasm.”

What to expect at “Above and Beyond” at MOSI

The exhibit is included with MOSI admission, and you'll find it right as you enter the front doors of the museum in the exhibit space to your right.

There are different sections to explore, but the favorite is right at the center of the room, where you can design your own fighter jet …

  • Go Full Throttle! Apply aerodynamic principles to design your own virtual fighter jets and race against other would-be pilots in a high-speed flying competition.
  • How'd they make that? There's a really cool slice of a real airplane fuselage that shows you how parts of a plane are made from aluminum, and other parts are made out of an even lighter carbon fiber composite. You'll learn how the use of lightweight materials helps conserve fuel.
  • A blast from the past. Explore the history of flight and how it has changed the world through the giant interactive digital touchscreen timeline.
  • Fly Like a Bird! Learn how birds conserve energy by flying in a V formation and give it a try for yourself! The exhibit shows us how the leading bird creates an upward current of air behind it so the next birds ride the updraft for a lift. The U.S. Air Force and Boeing tested this theory with C-17 cargo planes and found that flying in these patterns cuts fuel consumption up to 10-20%!
Flying like a bird in interactive exhibit of Above and Beyond at MOSI.
Learn how birds fly and even fly like a bird as a family! Photo by Laura Byrne

Related: Explore all things outer space at MOSI in Tampa

These are just a few of the experiences at “Above and Beyond,” and then, after you've explored this exhibit, head to the Moon over at Mission Moonbase and soar through the stars at the Saunders Planetarium inside the Holloway Digital Dome Theatre. It's the largest in Florida and the second largest in North America!

Ignite Your Inner Scientist at MOSI’s Summer Science Camps

Ready to launch a rocket, build a working robot, or extract real DNA with your own hands? Then you’re ready for MOSI's Summer Science Camps! Campers can dive into everything from cooking science and marine biology to video game coding and dinosaur fossils, guided by experienced educators who find the fun in every discovery.

With camp options from preschool through high school, there’s a safe, inclusive STEAM-powered camp for every kid who is excited by science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Plus, MOSI’s exhibits are part of the camp experience, with every camp including an eye-opening show in the eight-story-tall Holloway Digital Dome Theatre, home of the Saunders Planetarium.

This summer, let your curiosity soar! Register now at mosi.org.

*Summer camp section contributed by Grayson Kamm on behalf of MOSI. A portion of this article was originally published in the June 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.