Alaska Aviation Museum


The Alaska Aviation Museum, previously the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, is located on Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage, Alaska. Its mission since 1988, is to preserve, display, and honor Alaska's aviation heritage, by preserving and displaying historic aircraft, artifacts, and memorabilia, and to foster public interest in aviation and its history. The museum has over thirty aircraft on display, a restoration hangar, flight simulators, two theaters, and a Hall of Fame. It provides an emphasis on historic aircraft, aviation artifacts, and memorabilia that contributed to the development and progress of aviation in Alaska, including Bush flying, and the World War II Army base on Adak Island.

Overview

The museum is made up of the Main, Rasmuson, South, and Restoration Hangars; as well as a shelter. Also on display is the air traffic control tower cab used at Merrill Field from 1962 to 2002.

History

The Alaskan Historical Aircraft Society was founded in 1977 and the museum opened to the public in 1988. Ted Spencer founder and director.
Dee Hanson took on the directorship for a number of years until it became clear that her vision for the museum was too different from the board's vision.
After Dee Hanson, Norm Lagasse became director.
Shari Hart became director for a while.
Jarod Hoogland was director for several years up until 2017.
Alicia H. Cook 2018.
Phyllis Kilgore 2019 to present day.

Collection

-Harold Gillam, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
-Ed Rasmuson, Lifetime Achievement Award
-Rita & Bobby Sholton, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
-A.A. Bennett, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
-Lowell Thomas, Lifetime Achievement Award
-Eva & Wilfred Ryan, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Dottie & Jim Magoffin, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- Rex Bishopp, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Cliff Everts, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Bill English, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- F. Atlee Dodge, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Jack Peck, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Frank Dorbandt, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- George Pappas, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Oren Hudson, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Stephen E. Mills, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- Lavelle & Dick Betz, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Harold Esmailka, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Sam O. White, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- Holger "Jorgy" Jorgensen, Lifetime Achievement Award
- J. Vic Brown, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Kenny Neese, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- Mike Hunt, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Carl Brady, Aviation Entrepreneur Award
- Leon "Babe" Alsworth, Explorer & Pathfinder Award
- Jim Jansen, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Hans Roald Amundsen, Aviation Entrepreneur Award