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Duck decoys, a hunting tool designed to lure wild birds into the open, are the subject of the latest exhibition at San Francisco International Airport.

According to the SFO Museum:

From coast-to-coast, various regions of North America developed distinctive types of decoys. Bodies of water, hunting methods, and predominant species differed in each area. Materials, styles of carving, and painting techniques also varied locally. Salty, rough waters typically required sturdy, solid-bodied decoys that required frequent repainting. Freshwater decoys, on the other hand, allowed for hollow bodies and detailed paint patterns, which lasted through many seasons. Master craftsmen developed local styles that were emulated by and passed onto generations of carvers. Artisans also brought their own individual creativity to the birds they crafted, making each one unique.

Today, decoys are not only functional, many carved decoys are prized pieces of folk art.

More than 70 examples of work by the best decoy craftsmen are on display in The Allure of the Decoy,  located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall at San Francisco International Airport from April 29 through November 6, 2011.

Can’t make it to San Francisco International Airport before then? The SFO Museum has put a slide show featuring 24 of the decoys online.

(Photos courtesy SFO Museum)

Categories: Airports, Art, Museum Monday, Museums
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Sunday is Souvenir Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com; the day we look at some of the fun, inexpensive souvenirs you can buy at airports.

This week’s pick: chocolate Swiss Army knives found at Zurich Airport.

You can’t pack the real thing in your carry-on anymore, but when you’re hungry, these might prove quite handy.

Do you spend time poking around airport shops when you’re waiting for a flight? If you find something fun, inexpensive and “of” the city or region, please snap a photo and send it along.
If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, I’ll send you a fun airport-related souvenir.

Categories: Shopping, Souvenir Sunday, Souvenirs
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We’ll be getting more details today, but Friday night, April 22nd, an apparent tornado ripped through the St. Louis area and caused so much damage at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport that the airport is now closed indefinitely while they figure out what to do.

Here’s a story from the local TV news station KMOV:

Airport spokespeople say at least four people were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries and that:

“At this time, it appears that Terminal 1 and Concourse C suffered the most damage from the storm with high winds that blew out up to 50 percent of windows and caused roof damage as well.  There is also considerable storm damage at the entrances of the airport and along roadways.”

KMOV has also posted a gallery of photos showing what the area looked like after the tornado:

See the rest of the KMOV STL airport tornado damage photo gallery.

The damage is heartbreaking. Especially for those who have been looking forward to all the new features and amenities that were being put in place for a major restoration project.

Let’s hope the Lindbergh 1934 Monocoupe D-145 is safe. Charles Lindbergh’s personal plane hovered over the STL Concourse C checkpoint for 30 years and just last month was lowered and moved to the Mt. Vernon Municipal Airport to make way for a concourse relocation project. The plane is owned by the Missouri History Museum and is scheduled to return to STL when renovations there are complete.

Categories: Air Travel, Airplanes, Aviation history, Weather
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Traveling on a fuel-gobbling airplane on Earth Day?

Don’t worry – you can still be green on the ground at many airports.

Boston Logan International Airport is reminding travelers that is has added GobiCab, a fuel-saving, taxi cab ride-sharing app (for iPhones) to the eco-friendly transportation options listed on its website.

BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport is celebrating by christening eight new electric car charging stations.

Wichita Mid-Continent and several other airports will be holding earth day fairs at their terminals

San Francisco International Airport is having a little Twitter contest.

If you tweet to @flySFO between 8 a.m. PDT and 8 p.m. PDT with ideas on how to reduce your environmental foot print when traveling, you may win one of the recycled SFO banner luggage tags they’re giving away.

And Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport kicks off its First Annual Garden Show on Friday, with displays from four area organizations: Openlands, Trees That Feed Foundation, The Conservation Foundation and the Chicago Botanic Garden.  Look for the green beyond the security checkpoints in Terminal 3, between concourses H/K and L through May 13.

(Flower photos courtesy Robin Carlson, Chicago Botanic Garden)

Categories: Airports, Energy, Events, Exhibits, family travel
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Yes, you should eat well when you’re on the road, but if you’re you’re stuck at the airport, you deserve a little something sweet.

And now finding that sugary treat just got a lot easier at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

A candy-filled store called Sugar Pop recently opened in mall area of Terminal 1-Lindbergh, and the offerings include retro candy such as Sugar Babies, Pop Rocks, Runts and Lemonheads (remember those?) as well as specialty items such as these giant rainbow lollipops.

Categories: Airport shops, Food
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