Rockwell Collins Visitors Center | Cedar Rapids

The Rockwell Collins Visitors Center, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, serves as the public-facing hub for Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins), a leading aerospace and defense technology company. The center combines corporate education, historical exhibits, and community engagement, providing insight into the company’s role in aviation, communications, and electronics.

Historical Background
Rockwell Collins traces its roots to 1933, when Arthur A. Collins founded Collins Radio Company, initially producing shortwave radios and communication equipment. Over decades, the company evolved into a global aerospace and defense technology leader. In 2018, after merging with United Technologies Aerospace Systems, the company became Collins Aerospace, but the Cedar Rapids headquarters remained central to operations.

The Visitors Center was created to offer educational experiences and corporate outreach, allowing the public, students, and clients to understand the company’s history, products, and contributions to technology and aviation.

Architecture and Layout
The center is part of Collins Aerospace’s Cedar Rapids campus and is designed to be visitor-friendly and educational rather than a purely corporate facility. Key features include:

Exhibition Areas: Displaying historic and contemporary products, including avionics, communication devices, and aerospace innovations.

Interactive Exhibits: Hands-on displays that allow visitors to explore the principles of flight, navigation, and communication technology.

Theater and Presentation Spaces: Used for demonstrations, educational programs, and corporate briefings.

Lobby and Reception Area: Designed to welcome both public visitors and business guests, emphasizing accessibility and engagement.

The center balances modern corporate design with museum-like presentation to make the technology approachable for diverse audiences.

Exhibits and Educational Focus
The Rockwell Collins Visitors Center highlights:

Company History: Chronicles the evolution from Collins Radio to Rockwell Collins and eventually Collins Aerospace, emphasizing innovations in communication, avionics, and defense technology.

Products and Innovation: Displays focus on avionics systems, radar and navigation equipment, and other aerospace technologies developed or manufactured in Cedar Rapids.

STEM Education: Interactive exhibits and demonstrations support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning, especially for student visitors.

Corporate Legacy: Highlights contributions to both military and commercial aviation, including notable projects in communications and electronics.

Community and Civic Role
The Visitors Center functions as a bridge between the company and the public, fostering local pride in Cedar Rapids’ role in global aerospace innovation. It regularly hosts:

School field trips and educational tours for students in STEM fields.

Public open houses during special events or community celebrations.

Corporate and client demonstrations, showing the latest technological developments.

The center also contributes to workforce development by inspiring interest in aerospace careers among local youth and students.

Modern Identity
Today, the Rockwell Collins Visitors Center is recognized as both a corporate showcase and educational resource. It illustrates the technological achievements of Cedar Rapids’ aerospace industry while offering interactive and engaging experiences for the public.

It stands as a testament to the city’s innovation history, highlighting Cedar Rapids as a center of aerospace technology and linking corporate achievements to community education and pride.