Design and fly a jet, dive like a bird, or ride an elevator to space in the new exhibit "Above and Beyond" open now at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Those three activities have been the most popular since the show has gone public, said Mike Kempf of the exhibition designer Evergreen Exhibits of San Antonio. Evergreen created the show for Boeing for its centennial celebration in 2016.

Judging from the crowd at opening day Friday, Kempf had it right. People big and small were enjoying "Full Throttle," where you design a jet and then take the controls, "Spread Your Wings," where you follow the leader in a diving, soaring flock, and the space elevator that shows you what's outside between ground and space.

Other exhibits around the floor spotlight the technological landmarks in aviation and aerospace history, and there's even a jet pack in a glass case to study. "It highlights the people and the products that helped get us into space," Boeing Vice President William Phillips said at the opening.

Built around the themes "faster, farther, higher, smarter," the exhibit is fun and educational. A series of classroom activities related to the show is available online.

The exhibit will be open on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's main floor from now through March. It's included with admission to the museum, which is $24 for adults and $16 for children.