A WWII aviation museum has been granted millions of dollars to fund new growths planned for completion within the next two years. This will help them to add a new exhibit as well as an entire hall which will increase the size of the institution by three hundred percent. A total of six million dollars in grant so far has been offered to the National Museum of World War II Aviation, with more funding potentially on its way.
As of now, the exhibition hall is located in the Colorado Springs Airport. They will now be able to move onto their own grounds due to grants which started off at a total of one million dollars. As time went on, they were given another five million. To achieve the level of planned growth, however, the aviation museum must find a way to nearly double their current funds. Otherwise, they may not be able to finish construction. Applications for further grants are being sent out, and donations are being requested so that they can achieve their desired size and increase their abilities to provide war-related education to the public.
The current projected date of completion for their new building is in 2016, with a projected start date of April 2015. Not only will construction include space for new permanent exhibitions, but will also allow space for the aviation museum to include a center dedicated to education in physics, mechanics, engineering, math, and other scientific concerns related to aircraft technology.
In addition to newly provided education, the exhibition hall will of course continue to feature war-era aircrafts. James Slattery, president of the foundation responsible for the grants, owns dozens of wartime planes himself, some of which are used in air shows. The aviation museum is not his only interest, however, as he also plans to open a similar exhibition hall dedicated to WWII naval operations. Slattery has been flying since before he was eighteen years of age, and is infatuated with the evolution of aircrafts over the years, The Gazette reports.
The aviation museum has only been open for two years, but they are hoping to greatly improve their current size and status with the changes they are now proposing. If they are able to accrue the needed funds to ensure completion of planned construction, they will put themselves on the map in terms of the nation’s greatest exhibition halls. As of now, the aviation museum is already ranked as one of the greatest attractions in its region of Colorado.