Learn more about the new exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Space History

The New Mexico Museum of Space History soars from the past to the present of radio-controlled flight with its newest exhibit.

“Skywired: The Story of Radio-Controlled Flight” opens on Saturday, July 26, and runs through Aug. 1, 2026.

“It talks about how the technology got started back in the 1800s and then it talks about today,” Brianna Buller, exhibit curator, said. “And that the technology is continuing to make (remote control) more accessible and fun.”

A highlight of the exhibit, according to Olga Valanos, the museum’s public relations and marketing director, is a plane with an eight-foot wingspan.

“It’s called the Big Guff, and it was built by some El Paso hobbyists …” Valanos said. “There’s only three of these in existence and it’s the first RC model airplane flown in the Southwest.”

When hanging large planes such as the Big Guff and other pieces, Buller said they had to consider the impact the exhibit would have on visitors.

“When you’re putting them up, you have to stand at the entrances of the room and be like, when people are going to walk in, what kind of impression do you want to make on the public?” Buller said.

Aside from making an impression with the setup, Valanos wants to connect with visitors on a deeper level.

“We want to inspire our visitors,” Valanos said. “A lot of them come out of the museum, and they’re blown away by the development of space travel from early rocketry and rocket science.”

The exhibit has over 30 pieces and pays homage to nearby Holloman Air Force Base’s namesake, George V. Holloman, who played a role in making RC flight global. Buller wanted to ensure that people were eased into the vastness of the exhibit.

“You definitely have to find a balance on the exhibit floor so that people aren’t overwhelmed,” Buller said.

Valanos says that the exhibit focuses on educating the public and also supports the museum’s mission to encourage STEM interest in children.

“We are here not only for people all around the world to learn and mostly in the nation and New Mexico, but we’re here to raise the next generation of scientists,” Valanos said.

'Skywired: The Story of Radio-Controlled Flight' opens at the New Mexico Museum of Space History