The museum will commemorate the anniversary by combining events and exhibits that celebrate the achievements of the U.S. Air Force since its inception as well as the continued development of our airmen, guardians and technology in the years to come.
Scheduled 75th anniversary events and exhibits include:
· “A Force for Good – Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions:” This new permanent exhibit is open now in the Global Reach Gallery. A grand-opening celebration, scheduled April 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will include guest speakers, demonstrations and hands-on activities for visitors of all ages.
· “From Yesterday to Tomorrow: Celebrating 75 Years of the Department of the Air Force:” A new special exhibit, opening April 29 in the Cold War Art Gallery, will convey the U.S. Air Force’s impact through national defense and technological and social progress impacting people around the world.
· New aircraft arrival: KC-135: Scheduled for arrival in late April, this aircraft is the first to conduct an aerial refueling between three aircraft connected to each other simultaneously.
· Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7) spacecraft replica: Tentatively scheduled for display in the Missile Gallery this summer
· WWII Memorial Exhibit, June 4-6: A weekend of activities featuring a replica of the Washington D.C. WWII Memorial. Additional family-friendly activities include a reenactor encampment, fly-overs and indoor events.
· Korea Memorial Exhibit, June 25-26: Visit a replica exhibit of Washington D.C.’s Korean War memorial, hear the living history from museum volunteers sharing the vital role that many of the museum’s aircraft played in this war, and visit the Air Force Museum Foundation Theatre to see Korean War-related movies.
· Space Celebration, July 30-Aug 7: A free and unique Space Celebration offering something for the whole family, including guest speakers, space-themed exhibits, simulator rides, a build-and-launch rocket activity and an After Dark (21+) ticketed event.
· Vietnam Memorial Wall, Aug. 18-22: The museum will host the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Traveling Wall, an 80% replica of the Vietnam Wall bearing the names of more than 58,000 service members killed in Vietnam. As a backdrop for this memorial, the museum will host aerial events, a fly-over and more.
· “Panel 44 – 8 Days in March” Aug. 16-Sept. 24: Panel 44 is a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial containing the names of 337 American servicemembers who died between March 9 -16, 1968. This 900-pound exhibit will be located inside the fourth building.
· Air Force birthday celebration weekend, Sept. 17-18: The museum will have events throughout the weekend that include open aircrafts, family-centered activities/contests, special veteran speakers and cake.
· A-1H – Combat Search and Rescue Skyraider: New exhibit highlighting combat search and rescue missions anticipated in fall 2022.
Visit the 75th anniversary webpage at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events/75th-anniversary/ for more information on these events. Events details are subject to change.
For a complete list of all scheduled events at the museum visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
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