Forget Buzz Lightyear...
Today we've been connecting with some real-life heroes.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. houses some of the greatest artifacts in the history of aviation and space exploration.
And it's completely free to visit!
Chuck Yeager's plane (the first to break the sound barrier), the command module from Apollo 11 (the first moon landing mission), the Spirit of St Louis (which Charles Lindbergh flew for the first solo transatlantic crossing) were some of our favourites.
Then you've got the biggest, baddest nuclear missiles of the cold-war era (decommissioned of course) sitting there like giant two-storey toothpicks along with full-size planes that saw action in theaters of war from WWI onwards.
They even have examples of the seriously sleeky stealth machines and drones of the 21st Century.
The kids loved the room explaining how things fly.
It gave simple explanations about concepts like gravity, drag and air pressure and explained what flaps and rudders are for along with other aspects of aeronautical engineering.
Lots of the exhibits were interactive, including a Cessna with working controls.
There are also exhibitions dealing with star-gazing and studies of the planets and celestial bodies, highlighting insights gained from America's space program.
The rooms dealing with navigation and satellites aren't the big drawcards but they're still informative.
The space shuttle exhibits are extensive but I wondered if I would have been more excited if I'd visited before the program was wound up.
I felt a respectful nostalgia (similar to how I felt looking at rockets from the 50s) rather than the super excitement I remembered feeling when I watched space shuttle launches as a child.
We spent ages in the aircraft carrier area watching the planes take off and land from the two 'sides' of the faux navigational tower.
It was great to see that the boys had remembered some of what they learned on the U.S.S. Midway back in San Diego.
Having all of that aeronautical history hanging up there in the air reminds you how amazing humans can be when they put their minds (and money) into adventurous endeavours.
Later, as we strolled up to the Capitol Building for a look-see, I was still amazed that all of that was free!
