Hall of Flame MuseumWorld's Largest Museum of Firefighting Will Spark Everyone"s Interest
Go to Hall of Flame Museum:
What Makes The Hall of Flame SpecialThe Hall of Flame is the largest museum in the world dedicated to firefighters and their dangerous profession.
From the outside, this warehouse building near downtown Phoenix doesn’t seem very large. Inside, however, there is almost an acre of exhibits on firefighting history. Five large exhibit galleries hold an amazing collection of equipment and displays that tell you about the history of firefighting and how fire equipment evolved over the centuries. You’ll see everything from century old fire trucks to an actual, working fire department alarm room. The museum also pays tribute to the men and women who risk their lives every day to save the lives and property of others. The Hall of Flame is a great museum, filled with interesting exhibits and fascinating stories. It’s a great Phoenix Arizona vacation attraction for kids, both young and old. What You'll See at The Hall of FlameWithout a doubt, the highlights of the Hall of Flame Museum are the beautifully restored collection of fire trucks.
You’ll see engines from all over the world, some dating as far back as 1725. It’s an impressive gathering, with over 90 pieces of fire apparatus including:
The first gallery holds hand and horse drawn apparatus. The oldest piece is a 1725 Newsham manual fire engine. This engine spent its working life in Northern England. A crew of 20 worked its handles and foot treadles to pump about 60 gallons per minute through its copper nozzle. This gallery also includes a small theater where you can watch videos on the history of firefighting. A 10-minute video provides a good introduction to the museum’s exhibit galleries. Wander through this gallery and you’ll have a strong desire to touch the trucks and try the levers.
All of the Hall of Flame’s equipment and vehicles are hands off, however, except one. Everyone can climb aboard the American La France Model 700 fire engine. This classic red fire truck, from 1951, was once used by the Miami, Arizona Fire Department. Kids will get a real kick out of putting on the truck’s fire jackets and helmets. Every parent should take their children through the Hall of Flame’s Fire Safety Exhibit.
Here, kids learn about fire prevention with hand on activities. Let your kids explore the Fire Safety House. They can wander through the rooms, learning to identify good and bad home safety practices. They’ll have lots of fun:
A play area lets kids dress up in turnout gear, make their own fire department insignia arm patches, climb a fire pole and sit in a toy chief’s buggy. Smaller museum displays include:
The Hall of Flame isn’t just about trucks and tools, however. The National Firefighting Hall of Heroes gallery describes the human element of firefighting – the firefighters.
This thoughtful exhibit discusses both volunteer and career firefighters, including urban, rural, wildland and military branches of the fire service. It also recognizes American firefighters who’ve been decorated for valor. Several moving displays pay tribute to the thousands of American firefighters who have died in the line of duty since 1981. The special exhibit devoted to the 343 firefighters who died in New York on September 11, 2001 is one of the most poignant and thoughtful displays in the museum. Hall of Flame Highlights
In Gallery III, you can see three operating alarm room exhibits including the Phoenix Fire Department alarm room. This full scale room contains the actual consoles and equipment used by the city of Phoenix from 1956 – 1985 to dispatch fire engines. Phoenix was the first American city to introduce a computer-assisted alarm system. Everything here still works and you can listen to real dispatch calls while they are happening. Favorite Feature at Hall of FlameThe Hall of Flame’s Wildland Firefighting Gallery is a 2,000-square foot exhibit devoted to the history and methods of fighting wild fires.
There’s a collection of fire trucks, gear, tools and a fully equipped smokejumper suit used by wildland firefighters. Dramatic color photos show helitacks, smoke jumpers and hotshot crews in action. One area is devoted to the CDF – the California Department of Forestry, which is the largest state-operated forestry service in the United States with over 600 fire stations throughout the state. Be sure to check out the replica of a 1930s era L-6 fire lookout cabin. Here, you get a chance to see the view from the Diamond Point Fire Lookout – courtesy of a realistic diorama - along the Mogollon Rim near Payson, Arizona – without having to make the strenuous hike to the top of the mountain!
You can also use a Bosworth Fire Finder and map to locate geographical features in the diorama. Take the time to watch the videos about how forestry fire crews manage the difficult process of putting out wild fires such as establishing fire lines, using air tankers and the role of hotshots and smokejumpers. One documentary tells the tragic story of the devastating July 1994 Storm King Mountain fire in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, which took the lives of fourteen firefighters including four women hotshots. As more housing developments move into wildlands, the dedicated service, and difficult and dangerous work, of wildland firefighting crews will be needed even more.
Fast Facts: Fast Facts: Hall of Flame MuseumWhat to Know Before You Go: Hall of Flame does not have a café. Eat before you visit. Or, bring your lunch and eat it at one of the many picnic areas in Papago Park.Location: Next to Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Papago Park near downtown Phoenix. About a 10 minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Address: 6101 East Van Buren Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008 Google Map Directions: Click on "+" and "-" signs on Map Controls in upper left hand corner to zoom in and out on the location. Phone: (602) 275-3473 Hours: Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission Fee: Parking: There is plenty of free parking in the lots outside the museum. Amenities: Gift shop Activities: Many programs for children including story time hours, junior firefighters workshop and fire safety for kids. The Hall of Flame Open House is held twice per year in Spring and Fall and includes many hands-on activities including rides on the museum fire engine. Local fire departments also participate. Call for dates and times. Return to Phoenix Arizona Vacation page from Hall of Flame page
The information in this review was accurate at the time of our visit. All contact information, availability, access, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the facility before making reservations and/or travel plans. Legal Disclaimer: Arizona-Vacation-Planner.com accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.
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