Description

Since its founding in 1978, members of the Kentucky Aviation History Roundtable dreamed of an aviation museum. To this end, the group incorporated in 1981 as the Aviation Museum of Kentucky. In 1984, the IRS granted 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status. In 1994, the General Assembly designated the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame as the Commonwealth’s official Aviation Hall of Fame. And in 1995 the dream came true: April 2005 marked the Museum’s tenth anniversary.

In one short decade, the Aviation Museum of Kentucky has welcomed guests from all 50 states and from 61 foreign countries. We have grown to contribute immeasurably to the public understanding of and enthusiasm for aviation – an industry that in 2000 contributed $10.3 billion to Kentucky’s economy and supported 129,000 Kentucky jobs.

An important part of our mission is educating young people about aviation’s career potential. The industry employs pilots, mechanics, executives, secretaries, instructors, engineers, clerks, controllers, flight attendants, meteorologists, travel agents, freight handlers, med-evac professionals… the list goes on and on.

But our mission extends across the entire educational spectrum – not just to career counseling. Our changing exhibits attract approximately 10,000 students to Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport each year. Visitors learn about the science of flight, and about its history. They learn how Kentucky has helped shape the field that has so shaped the world.