On the roof of Wings & Waves sits probably the only Boeing 747 that you exit via slide if everything is going according to plan. Your destination? The eccentric little indoor waterpark contained below, where a 90,000-gallon wave pool creates exhilarating currents. Throughout the park, exhibits educate with hands-on demonstrations of the powerful effects water has on both society and the natural world, and a theme of scientific and technological enrichment pervades the entire facility.

It might seem strange for a waterpark to have such a lofty goal, but it starts to make sense when you realize that Wings & Waves is just one part of the larger Museum Campus, a monument to all things aviation. Fixtures of the museums include a history of space flight and the Oregon Aviation Hall of Fame. But the crown jewel of the museum is made out of wood: the Spruce Goose is one of the largest airplanes ever built, a marvel of engineering designed by Howard Hughes during World War II.