When you first enter the museum you are looking down on the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. The Space Shuttle Discovery is in the distance.

The colors of the two vehicles are symbolic of their uses. The black SR-71 was a top secret spy plane, while the gleaming white Space Shuttle was very much in the public eye.

The Blackbird is sleek and stealthy.

Only 32 of the spy planes were built.

The twin engines could propel the Blackbird in excess of Mach 3.2 or about 2,100 mph. The planes set several speed and altitude records.