Trailblazing astronaut Eileen Collins to visit Tulsa Air and Space Museum

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum will welcome Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a NASA Space Shuttle, for a special event on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.

Collins will headline a daylong program that includes signing the museum’s Women in Aviation exhibit, hosting screenings of the documentary Spacewoman, taking questions from audiences, and greeting fans at a public book signing inside the planetarium.

“Col. Collins transformed what girls and young women believe is possible,” said Tonya Blansett, executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. “Her visit embodies our mission — Honoring the Past. Inspiring the Future. We’re thrilled to connect Oklahomans with a true pioneer of human spaceflight.”

Event schedule — Thursday, Sept. 18

1. 11 a.m. — Collins signs the Women in Aviation exhibit, brief remarks, and media availability
2. 1 p.m. — Public book signing in the planetarium
3. 1:30 p.m. — Opening remarks
4. 1:45 p.m. — Spacewoman screening #1
5. 3:15 p.m. — Audience Q&A with Col. Collins
6. 3:45 p.m. — Spacewoman screening #2
7. 5:15 p.m. — Audience Q&A with Col. Collins
8. 6 p.m. — Event concludes

Tickets and admission

Tickets are required for the screenings and Q&A sessions. Books will be available for purchase on site during the book signing while supplies last. Tickets and details are available at tulsamuseum.org.

About Col. Collins

Collins became the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle in 1995 and the first to command one in 1999. Across four shuttle missions, she logged hundreds of hours in space and has since become a leading advocate for STEM education, aviation and exploration.

The event takes place at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium, 3624 N. 74th East Ave., with free parking available on site.