CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) - The Sullenberger Aviation Museum this week announced the completion of its “Lift Off Campaign” – the museum’s largest fundraising effort to date – garnering commitments of more than $31 million for construction of its new facility.
The new building will be adjacent to Runway 18 Left at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Ongoing fundraising efforts will continue for preopening operating costs.
Anticipated to reopen during the first half of 2024, the Sullenberger Aviation Museum’s extensive aircraft collection will enable authentic storytelling of the Carolinas’ aviation past, present and future and serve as a portal of opportunity for immersive and inclusive learning experiences, STEM education, and workforce development.
In January, Carolinas Aviation Museum announced it would rebrand as the Sullenberger Aviation Museum.
The new moniker denotes more than a new brand - it also signifies an inspiring new vision for the 31-year-old museum.
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While its new facility will continue to exhibit historical aircraft, it will also serve as an elevated educational resource and innovation center to help shape the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) workforce development pipeline throughout the region.
The Lift Off Campaign is the largest capital campaign in the museum’s history and the committee reached its $31 million goal this week!
- $5 million commitment from Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s Cannon Fund to develop an airport site for the museum’s future facilities
- 1.5 million gift from Honeywell
- $1 million gift from Ric Elias, a Flight 1549 survivor and CEO of Red Ventures
- $1 million contribution from Bank of America to name and sponsor the Miracle on the Hudson exhibit, as the bank had nearly two dozen employees aboard that flight.
- $500,000 from Red Ventures’ Lonely Planet
- The passengers of Flight 1549 have also collectively started the Flight 1549 Campaign, a separate funding initiative dedicated to preserving the aircraft and funding the corresponding materials and collection for years to come.
- Projected to open in the first half od 2024, the 105,000-square-foot Sullenberger Aviation Museum multi-building campus will offer immersive learning experiences like flight simulators, interactive exhibits, STEM education programs and authentic RFID storytelling of the Carolinas’ past, present and future in aviation.
- Site development is being conducted in two phases across three buildings – a welcome center, a main exhibit hall and a preserved historic hangar complemented by an outdoor plaza with additional historic aircraft.
- The new museum is expected to draw more than 120,000 visitors annually and connect more than 15,000 students to STEM programming and career development labs.
Related: Groundbreaking happening Tuesday for new Carolinas Aviation Museum
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