National Model Aviation Museum joins Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live!
MUNCIE, IN—On Saturday, September 24, the National Model Aviation Museum will open its doors free of charge for up to two people per household as part of the 12th annual Museum Day Live! Along with more than 1,400 other participating venues, the National Model Aviation Museum will emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities to encourage learning and spreading knowledge.
Museum Day Live! fulfills Smithsonian Media’s mission to make cultural education accessible to everyone. For one day only, the National Model Aviation Museum will grant free access to each visitor who downloads a Museum Day Live! ticket at www.Smithsonian.com. The ticketholder can bring one guest for free. Last year’s event drew more than 350,000 museum-goers, and this year’s Museum Day Live! is expected to attract close to 400,000 participants.
“The National Model Aviation Museum is looking forward to participating in Museum Day Live! We are happy to provide an opportunity for our community to experience the history of model aviation through our museum at no charge,” said Michael Smith, museum director. “It is a great way to introduce new visitors to what the museum has to offer.”
The National Model Aviation Museum is dedicated to collecting and preserving significant pieces of model aviation history. There are roughly 9,000 artifacts in the collection, including model airplanes, radio systems, engines, building tools and equipment, and memorabilia such as patches, stickers, and clothing. The museum also has a library with approximately 4,500 books and more than 800 magazine, newsletter, and journal titles (37,000-plus issues total), and an archive with photographs, papers, films, and videos on diverse aviation topics.
The museum will have all galleries open for public viewing on Museum Day Live! including a hands-on area with activities for all ages, a chance to see NASA-loaned models, early model airplanes dating back to the turn of the 20th century, and a 22-minute documentary film running in the theater all day. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/museum/museum.aspx or call (765) 287-1256, ext. 509, for more information about the museum’s programs, events, and exhibits. The museum hours for this event are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museum Day Live! ticket can be downloaded at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! ticket will gain free entrance for two at one participating venue for one day only. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address. For more information about Museum Day Live! and a list of participating museums and cultural institutions, please visit www.smithsonian.com/museumday.
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About Smithsonian Media
Smithsonian Media is comprised of its flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, as well as Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Media Digital Network, and the Smithsonian Channel. Smithsonian Media is a division of Smithsonian Enterprises, the revenue-generating business unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visit the museums annually.
About Academy of Model Aeronautics
The Academy of Model Aeronautics serves as the nation’s collective voice for approximately 195,000 modelers in 2,400 clubs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, AMA is a membership organization representing those who fly model aircraft for recreational and educational purposes. For more information, visit www.modelaircraft.org.