Museum Re-opening Update
As we move, cautiously, towards re-opening the country, I have been contacting museums to find out what their current status is. I know we all are anxious to get back to doing normal things, and, from comments I have received, I know that many readers are interested in visiting museums they have read about. I thought it would be helpful to publish a rundown of how museums are planning their re-opening. As you can imagine, I found a wide variety of situations - mostly depending on which state they are in. A common thread seems to be that the situation is totally dependent on state restrictions. On the other hand, it was good to find that some museums are already open. The situation is changing daily, so if you are curious about a specific museum, check their website.
Here is a brief run-down of the museums that we have visited in this blog (in order of publication), followed by some that are on the list to visit sometime soon. I have a link to the individual blog and the museum website at the end of each write-up. Stay safe!
Tony
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Issue 1 Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum, Teterboro, New Jersey.
I spoke with Executive Director, Ralph Villecca, who said that they are ready to open, but waiting for word from the Governor’s office. Ralph mentioned that the museum has several new items being installed, including a general aviation trainer and a full-sized glider. I plan to visit this museum later in the year and write an updated blog.
Issue 2 Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage, Alaska.
Phyllis Kilgore, Executive Director, sent the following information-
We have officially re-opened on May 28th to the public with social distancing and guests will need to wear a mask. We are open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 5pm. The Municipality of Anchorage has implemented many requirements that we are happy to follow to ensure the health and safety of our guests.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2018/5/26/alaska-aviation-museum
Issue 3 Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting in Greybull, Wyoming.
Bob Hawkins, Museum Director sent this information-
We normally try to be open around the 15th of May, this is usually when Yellowstone National Park is open. This year two gates in Wyoming opened around that time but all the gates will open on June 1st. We are starting to see some tourists come thru Greybull now and have been working hard to get things ready to open. We plan on being open no later than the 15th of June. With any luck sooner.
https://www.museumofflight.us/
PHOTO COURTESY OF The Aviation Heritage Centre
Issue 4. Aviation Heritage Centre in Omaka New Zealand
Rachael Brown, Marketing Manager, said Kia Ora from New Zealand, and provided this information-
It is very quiet here which is to be expected but we had good numbers come through over the long weekend. We are open daily but closing a little earlier at 4pm. Besides that, it's business as usual plus social distancing, register barrier and sanitizing!
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2019/8/20/omaka-aviation-heritage-center-blenheim-nz
Issue 5 Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum.
I contacted Museum Director, Bruce Fournier, who sent me the following information-
As NASW continues to wait for approval to open to the public, plans are being put in place to ensure the health and safety of guests and staff. These steps include, opening the large hangar doors daily to allow fresh air flow, limiting guest capacity, hand sanitizing stations, Plexiglas sneeze guards in the gift shop and marking out 6’ social distancing reminders on the floor. Chairman Joseph E. Salvatore, MD added, “We anticipate face masks will be required as well, for all guests and staff.” Whatever the case, NASW will be ready to welcome the public.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2019/9/16/nas-wildwood-aviation-museum-cape-may-nj
Issue 6 and 7 Wright Brothers Memorial and Museum
I wrote about the Wright Brother’s Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC in two separate blogs as there are two rather distinct parts to the Memorial; the museum and the grounds. The situation for re-opening will also be in two parts. Mike Barber, Public Affairs Officer noted the following-
The outdoor areas of Wright Brothers National Memorial are open. We do not currently have a reopening date established for the visitor center.
If you visit the Outer Banks, the parking lot to the Memorial is open and you can visit all of the historical markers and climb up to the Memorial. There currently is no charge.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2019/10/28/wright-brothers-national-memorial/
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2019/12/6/wright-brothers-national-memorial-part-2/
PHOTO COURTESY The National WW-II Museum
Issue 8 A tour of the Boeing Center of the National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA.
Keith Darcey, Public Relations Manager, provided this information-
We were so happy to reopen, especially on Memorial Day. It is such a special day for us here at the Museum. We are also celebrating our 20th anniversary and the 76th D-Day anniversary on June 6. The Museum will operate at 25% of its total capacity while enacting new safety measures, including advanced online ticket purchases, social distancing guidelines throughout pavilions and galleries, and enhanced sanitizing and cleaning protocols. Throughout the initial phase of reopening, most galleries, exhibits and experiences will be available with controlled attendance to allow for social distance between visitors, especially within galleries. To help ensure public safety and avoid crowds, timed ticket purchases will be required. It is strongly recommended that visitors pre-purchase Museum admission online in advance
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/
Issue 9 Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover, DE
Museum Director John Taylor said that there is no word yet on re-opening, as of June 5th.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2020/2/4/air-mobility-command-museum-dover-delaware
Issue 10 Wings of Freedom, Willow Grove, PA.
I was unable to contact the museum for information, but the website says- THE MUSEUM IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
https://wingsoffreedommuseum.org/wp/
Issue 11 The Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach
This museum is a good example of how quickly things are changing. When I contacted Keegan Chetwynd, Museum Director, he said that they were still waiting on the governor to let them know if they would be part of Phase II or not. Then, three days ago, I received an email announcing that the museum will be opening On June 5th. The email stated- Many protocols are being followed, all listed on the website. One change they have made, which seems to be unique to this museum, is that the museum will be open from 9-10 AM only for visitors aged 65 and older or people with immune system issues, then open to all at 10. As a side note, after visiting The Military Aviation Museum, I signed up for their email list. They hold numerous special events during the year, which will start up again, but in the interim, they have been holding weekly webinars, all of which have been very interesting.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2020/4/13/the-military-aviation-museum-virginia-beach-va
https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/
Issue 12 The Museum of Flight, Seattle Washington
The Museum of Flight was another museum that did not respond to requests for information. The website just says CLOSED.
https://aviationhistorymuseums.com/blog/2020/5/23/the-museum-of-flight
https://www.museumofflight.org/
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Other museums- on my list to visit.
If I was unable to contact a museum, I have listed information from their website.
North Carolina Aviation Museum, Asheboro, NC.
Board Member Brett Parsons sent this information-
We hate being shut down as much as you do, I’m sure. As of right now, we are at the mercy of the Governor’s executive orders, and as such, we don’t know when we’ll be able to reopen. I assure you, that once the decision is made, I will have it up on the website and Facebook page. We look forward to everyone visiting once we do open back up, and have a couple of improvements completed and a couple more ongoing. We are also expecting a new aircraft soon after all this stuff is behind us.
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EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh Wisconsin.
While listening to the latest EAA Green Dot Podcast- http://inspire.eaa.org/2020/06/04/eaas-the-green-dot-virtually-visiting-aviation-museums/ , the hosts mentioned that they hoped the museum would be open soon and that the website and Facebook pages will have the latest information. If you haven’t listened to The Green Dot, I highly recommend it- one of the best aviation podcasts around.
On June 9th, Museum Director, Ron Connolly, added this information- We are preparing to make an announcement about our reopening plans. The announcement will be made on July 15th with details about the opening date and associated parameters for visitors. Please be sure to check our website at that time.
https://www.eaa.org/eaa-museum
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Glenn L. Martin Museum, Middle River, MD.
Debi Wynn, PR Coordinator sent the following-
In regards to reopening. I wish I had details to share with you but at this time we are awaiting news from the Governor and County Executive as to when museums can begin to host visitors. As soon as we reach the "go" in the Governor's Roadmap to Recovery, I will get back to you with information.
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Wings Over Miami, Miami, FL.
I spoke with museum president, Vincent Tirado, who said that this all-volunteer museum is waiting for information from Miami-Dade County on re-opening. They are making preparations and plan to err on the side of caution to protect staff and visitors. A new aircraft has been added to the collection- a Hawker Hunter. The plane will be fully restored to it’s flying glory! Stay tuned for more updates.
http://www.wingsovermiami.com/
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Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading PA.
Russ Strine, President, provided the following information-
We have not seen any information from our Governor as to when we may open, but we hope to be moving to the next phase by June 5th.
The highlight of the Year at MAAM is the World War-II weekend, which was to be held this weekend (June 5-7). A tentative date for rescheduling is July 31st-Aug 2nd.
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1940 Air Terminal Museum, Houston Texas
Amy Rogers, Executive Director, provided this information-
We reopened with regular hours on June 2nd. The museum will practice the following safety measures and asks our guests for cooperation and compliance in adhering to the same: Only 50% of the listed capacity will be admitted at any one time. Face coverings will be worn by staff and are recommended for visitors - the museum does not have masks available so please bring your own. All persons will maintain the appropriate social distance - six feet. Cleaning and sanitizing of public areas will be carried out frequently.
https://www.1940airterminal.org/
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Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville, TN
Rhonda Melton provided this information -
On June 9th.the museum is cautiously reopening and depending on our visitors, staff and volunteers to be patient while we work through this difficult and challenging time.
Facility Guidelines
• Mask (cloth face covering) usage will apply to all individuals
• Individuals are asked to respect the 6-ft social distance rule
• Restrooms will frequently close for cleaning during business hours
• Hand sanitizer is available at the admissions desk, hangar access entrance and gift shop entrance
• Signage encouraging social distancing and wearing a protective mask are located throughout the facility
• High-touch surfaces (door handles) will be regularly disinfected
Please see the website for additional information
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Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, CA.
Public Relations Director, Ann Greer, provided the following information-
On Monday, June 1st, the Palm Springs Air Museum reopened to the public on a limited basis as an open-air museum. All hangar doors will remain open during business hours. The Palm Springs Air Museum is committed to the safety of the guests, staff, and volunteers as visitors are welcomed back. Safety protocols have been added to ensure a safe reopening, including taking temperatures of all staff and arriving visitors. Masks are required and will be available on site. Visitor group size is limited to six or fewer. 6’ social distancing rule will be in effect and clearly marked in all areas that require queuing such as admissions, gift shop, and restrooms.
https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/
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Hickory Aviation Museum, Hickory, NC.
I received the following information from Bill Baker-
Hopefully, we will be opening in the next couple of weeks. We are following the City of Hickory, NC guidelines which seems to be lagging behind NC.
Updated on June 9th- The museum will re-open on June 20th.
http://www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org/
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American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA.
From the website-
Out of concern for the safety of our visitors, community, volunteers and staff, the Museum is CLOSED. All events and programs have been cancelled. We will post any updates here and on Facebook..
http://americanhelicopter.museum/
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Florida Air Museum, Lakeland, FL.
Museum Manager, Jayme Jamison, provided this information-
We are excited to announce our temporary hours as of May 29, 2020. At this time, we will be open on weekends - Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays 12 pm from 4 pm. $10 admission donation for adults 18 and older. We are still continuing various safety protocols including constant cleaning of high touch areas, hand hygiene and museum staff will be wearing masks for your safety. All interactive exhibits remain closed. Please check the website for updated information.
https://www.floridaairmuseum.org/
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Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, AZ.
Brad Elliott provided the following information-
The museum will be opening June 15th. Among the precautions we are taking-
Staff will wear masks
Enhanced regular cleaning schedule
We are changing as many restroom fixtures as we can to "hands free"
We are adding more hand sanitizer stations around the grounds
Food service will remain closed until fall
Plenty of room to maintain 6ft or more social distancing guidelines with lots to see including around 400 aircraft
We are in our slow season so visitor numbers are not expected to be significant
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College Park Aviation Museum, College Park, MD.
The museum is not yet open, but they expect information shortly.
http://www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com/1593/College-Park-Aviation-Museum
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Eight Air Force Museum, Pooler, GA
From the website-
The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force is now open to the public with new guidelines in place to protect staff and visitors, including revised hours of operation for the enhanced daily cleaning of the museum building.
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Cincinnati Aviation History Society Museum, Lunken Airport, Cincinnati, OH.
Charlie Pyles sent this Information-
The city still has our museum closed because it’s located in a municipal building and none have reopened to the public yet in Cincinnati. The best place to find out quickly when we’re allowed to reopen is www.facebook.com/cahsorg.
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I think, overall, the news right now is pretty positive, and I fully expect most museums to be open, in some form, by the end of the month. I also expect to be able to visit a museum soon and write a regular blog post for July.
Like all small businesses, aviation museums have been hard hit by the Corona virus shutdown. Giving a museum a visit as soon as possible will help, but if you can’t visit in person, visit their website and Facebook page, subscribe to their email and maybe make a small donation or a purchase from their on-line store, every little bit helps!
Special Issue, June, 2020. Copyright©2020, all rights reserved. Except where noted, all photos by the author