Chelsea Libby, Director

I am the new director of a The World Kite Museum in Long Beach, WA. We are a small museum with a very specific focus: to educate the public about the science, art, history, and culture of kite flying.  It may seem that the topic of kites is a rather specific niche, a narrow focus on paper, but what truly excites me as a museum professional is the possibilities for interdisciplinary educational programming based on this topic.  Studying and educating about kites offers the opportunity to discuss aerodynamics, fashion, Asian arts and culture, photography, sports, nautical engineering, and physics just as an example of the diversity of content available to mine for exhibit and program development.  It is going to be a long, exciting journey to bring this museum up to date with current educational theory, exhibit displays, interactive elements, and digital presence, but I believe I am up to the job.

I am a graduate of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Master of Arts program for museum studies. In my studies I focused on museum education and exhibit development. I bring to the world of Kite my ability to understand the intrinsic needs of a nascent museum organization, my creative problem solving ability, and a tenacious passion for educating the public in informal learning environments.  What I am hoping to achieve by creating this blog and a variety of digital media outlets for WKM is encouraging the public to help this museum grow into a destination that meets the needs of both the local community and the larger audience of the Pacific Northwest.  I think creating a dialog about what we’re doing, how we are tackling the topic of building a museum into a sustainable business model is worth sharing in a public forum. I hope the digital community will respond with a rallying cry of “I have an opinion about that!”  So I encourage you all to help us to learn, grow, and soar to new heights.

President’s Day Weekend
Kite Making Workshop

What: Kitemaking workshop for John Freeman’s Bird on The Wire.

When: February 16, 17, 18 (Saturday Through Monday) 2013

Where: The World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame, Long Beach, WA

Cost: $90

Contact: Rod Beamguard at 360-574-8050 or kytfevr@yahoo.com

Come join us for a fun weekend of kite making at the World Kite Museum. Rod Beamguard of Vancouver, WA, and Carveth Kramer of Taos, NM, will guide participants through the steps necessary to create their own unique kite, John Freeman’s Bird on The Wire. The late John Freeman loved teaching others and was a master at designing unusual kites. This kite, 8 feet tall by 8 feet wide, was the last of his projects. The kite has been assigned to a commercial manufacturer and is currently undergoing work for possible commercial production and will never be taught again in a classroom setting. Participants will need to bring a sewing machine and normal sewing supplies. A large cutting mat will be helpful (3′ x 5′ or 4′ x 8′). Course fees will include alkl fittings, rods, lines, reinforcements, and much needed humor. Class members will supply their own fabric. Please join us for a potluck on Saturday night.

This is your last chance to build this beautiful and unique kite and possibly the last of this series of workshops to be held at the museum! Register with Rod today!

Spring Break

The museum will be open for regular hours during spring break for all Washington and Oregon schools. We are currently hosting our Thousand Cranes exhibit in honor of Japanese Tsunami Remembrance Day, where you and your children can make your own paper crane to add to our exhibit. We will also have various spring themed craft activities and kites on display. You can make a kite and fly it in front of our museum or out on the world’s longest beach just down the road. Come celebrate the warmer weather with the World Kite Museum.

WKM flying fanatics!

WORLD KITE MUSEUM
303 Sid Snyder Dr – Long Beach, WA
Call—360-642-4020

Saturday & Sunday October 13 & 14, 2012
…and always the second Sunday in October…
One Sky, One World – Long Beach, WA

One Sky, One World – Miriam Schaffler,
a regular at One Sky, One World,
shows off a ‘Lady Kite Flyer’ kite.

In 1986 during the cold war, Jane Parker-Ambrose traveled to Russia in hopes of presenting a three-foot diamond kite featuring the American and Soviet flags on each side of the globe. In Moscow Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space and the president of the Soviet Women’s Peace Committee received this kite as a symbol of efforts worldwide for peace and understanding.

This was the beginning of this annual kite-flying event celebrated not only in Long Beach but all over the globe.

Everyone-young and old, beginners and experienced-is invited to participate at the Bolstad Ave. Beach Approach between 10 am and 4 pm both Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend, October 13 & 14.

There will be kite making and kite flying lessons available for all. Experienced flyers will decorate the sky with large and varied shaped kites for everyone’s fun. Everyone flying kites can sign the worldwide register.

Here is an interview with Jane Parker-Ambrose, discussing the origins of the annual One Sky One World Kite Fly for Peace

Other questions? Call 360-642-4020 or email info@worldkitemuseum.com

One Sky One World, International Kite Fly for Peace is held the second Sunday of October annually, around the globe.

World Kite Museum Concert Series

Featuring World Famous Ragtime Pianist Bob Milne!

Doors Open 6:00 pm –  Performance Begins 7:00 pm
General Admission (seats are first come first served)

Tickets · $30 in advance , $35 at the door

Refreshments will be available by donation:

Hor’s D’Oeuvres

Crudites

Baked Goods

Wine & non-alcoholic beverages 

A clever wit and fast fingers make Bob a joy to behold.  

The World Kite Museum is happy  to announce the auspicious return of one of our favorite friends of the museum: Bob Milne.  For almost a decade Bob has made an annual appearance at the World Kite Museum for an intimate evening of fun, frolic, and song.  After a two year absence we are pleased to revive this amazing tradition.  Seats for this event are limited so call us today to reserve yours.   Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the event.    We will have refreshments available before, during, and after the concert from area restaurants for an additional suggested donation. Bob Milne CD’s and other materials will be available for sale as well and Bob himself will also be available before and after the event to sign autographs.  Tickets are available online: http://wkmbobmilne.eventbrite.com/or by phone: 360-642-4020.  Email: info@worldkitemuseum.com  for additional information. Tickets are non refundable except in the case of concert cancellation.

About Bob Milne:  

A living legend in blues and ragtime piano, Bob began his career playing French horn for the Baltimore Symphony.  He has the distinction of being one of the two ragtime/boogie woogie pianists who have been interviewed and recorded for the Library of Congress.  Bob has played all over the country for presidents and heads of state. His style of performance is unique and fluid, he creates the set list on the fly, combining standards and improv, running through blues, ragtime, boogie-woogie, and jazz interspersed with tales of his travels around the country and the rich history of his favorite musical genres.  Bob usually plays concert halls filled with hundreds of avid fans.  Get your tickets today to experience America’s “Journeyman piano player”! 

MEET OUR FEATURED FLYER:

11 Year Old Travis Reedy! 

Prodigy and all around cool kid.

Travis Reedy is an average kid; he likes school, church, and hamburgers.  He also just happens to be one of the most talented natural indoor kite flyers  we have had the pleasure to witness.  Come see him perform along with a host of other amazingly talented flyers.  

Come see Travis in action and learn how to perform some cool tricks yourself!    

 2013 12th ANNUAL WINDLESS KITE FESTIVAL

January 18, 19 & 20

    Indoor Kite Flying Competition and Performances

Location

Long Beach School Gymnasium
Washington and 4th St South
Long Beach, WA 98631

Performance Times

 Saturday January 19th 

11-12: Single Line Competition

2 pm: AKA Individual Indoor Competition 

 Sunday January 20th

11 – 12 am: Indoor Hot Tricks

12 – 1:30 pm: Demonstration Show

1:30 – 2:30 pm: Grand Finale

The gym is open for participant practice, demonstrations, and indoor flying lessons Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm except during Performance Times.

There’s always something to see.

Admission: Donation

Lee Sedgwick flys a YFO, a single line kite of his creation. Lee is well known for skiing on frozen Lake Erie on kite power.

John Barresi, a kite pilot of 20 years, specializes in quad line kites. He is an instructor and innovator with the iQuad Team.

 Details:

Friday the 18th - gym opens at 4pm. Bring a flat kite or two to color the walls with. Friday is all about setting up and some free flying time.

Saturday morning the gym will open at 8am for more free flying time.

At 11:00 the 1st ever Open Individual Indoor Singleline competition! Judged with the same score sheet, rules, and format as the Unlimited event. An indoor competition just for the single line kites.

Then more free flying time with plenty of opportunity for  people to try/learn indoor flying . We love to help people get started with a quick lesson.

At 2:00 we will have the main event. The AKA Open Individual Indoor Unlimited competition. Last year we had 22 competitors, and we expect a great showing again this year!

                   Registration for  competition is $15 –  on site only.

More free flying time until around 5:00 pm.

At  5:00  we go to the Kite Museum for the Italian Potluck Dinner.

There will be awards and a bag raffle. Bring that special raffle item, the funds raised go toward supporting the Museum.   Meet  the new museum Executive Director, Chelsea Libby.

Sunday the gym will open up at 8:00 for more free flying time.

At 11:00 will be the Indoor Hot Trick Shoot-out, demos and the grand finale starting around 1 p.m.

After all that you’ll get even more free flying time!

Jerry Cannon is Mr. Cool in his yellow suit and kite. He has won competitions indoor and outdoor.

 Other Kite Things to do that Weekend 

• Take an indoor flying lesson
• Visit the World Kite Museum down the street at 303 Sid Snyder Drive, to experience the family fun and history of kite flying.
• Take time to view indoor flying films.
• Join the jolly local and participant groups for the Italian Potluck, Raffle and Award Ceremony Evening. Admission is a dish to pass and something for the raffle.

Asian New Year Celebration

Beginning February 9th & 10th 2013.   Featuring the Meloy Collection of fine artifacts we will be celebrating the year of the snake in style!  Come to the museum to see our wide collection of Chinese hand painted kites and artifacts and create some art of your own with your family.  We will have a caligraphy table available where you can learn to write the Chinese characters for snake, and create your own unique symbol to represent your name, similar to the stamps used for identification in China for many years!  Exhibit is included in regular admission.  Runs through March 2013.

The Peninsula Postal Stamp Club of Long Beach, WA is in the process of creating an exhibit of kite stamps from countries around the world. In 2009 the group artistically prepared three 34” X 26” frames of Chinese kite stamps to accompany a new Chinese Kite Celebration at that time.

This time, besides using the Museum’s stamps, the group has researched and obtained more varied stamps to extend the total collection.

This exhibit will be one of a kind. Keep your eyes open for this unique event and tell your friends.

The World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame is the only American Museum dedicated exclusively to the thrill, joy, art, science and world history of kites.

Besides its outstanding kite collections, the Museum has extensive archival materials. The American Kite Association [AKA] has combined their archives with the World Kite Museum in Long Beach, Washington. An active oral history program exists on cassettes and videos.  Textbook companies and freelance writers are the biggest users.  Long Beach’s World Kite Museum is the definitive information source on kites internationally.

A Washington State vacation is incomplete without a visit to the Long Beach Peninsula, home of the Washington State International Kite Festival, and the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame.  Located at 303 Sid Snyder Drive SW, Long Beach, Washington, WKM is the only Kite Museum in North and South America.

We look forward to seeing you in person. In the meanwhile, we hope you’ll enjoy perusing our site!

Before 1915 if you had a kite either you or someone else made it. This exhibit describes one of the first kite manufacturers, John Frier, Sr. His Company named ALOX rolled off their self-created assembly line kites in 1927.

The Museum, with the assistance of Frier’s granddaughter, Nancy Frier, has created the story of how this industry functioned and survived until 1989. It includes the dime store and variety store outlets, the shift from paper to plastic, the inclusion of what were called promotion kites, and other necessities to prosper.