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The National Museum of Transportation Expands Aviation Footprint

 

The National Museum of Transportation Expands Aviation Footprint

$100.00 – $275,000.00

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For Immediate Release
09 December 2025

Contact:  [email protected]

The National Museum of Transportation (TNMOT) is expanding its aviation footprint in a remarkable way. TNMOT’s growing fleet already includes a storied C-47 transport plane that carried troops and supplies during WWII, the F/A-18 E1—the very first Super Hornet ever built and the powerhouse of the U.S. Navy—and a classic T-33 trainer. In 2026, the Museum will proudly welcome a Harrier jump jet, an engineering marvel known for its revolutionary vertical/short takeoff and landing capability. The Harrier changed modern military aviation by allowing pilots to operate where traditional runways were impossible, making it one of the most versatile aircraft ever built.

While these aircraft represent aviation excellence recognized around the world, their presence on the Museum’s campus honors a deeply local story—the extraordinary legacy of McDonnell Douglas and later Boeing, and the thousands of St. Louis-area men and women whose skill, innovation, and dedication shaped American aerospace history. We invite you to help us create a beautiful display pad and surrounding park-like setting worthy of this fleet. Your gift of $100 or more will reserve your place at our ribbon-cutting celebration when the Harrier arrives in early summer 2026. Much must be done before then to prepare the site—please donate today to help us bring this vision to life. (Naming rights for this aviation plaza expansion are also available. Please contact the Museum at [email protected] for additional information. Levels of Giving noted below.)

The National Museum of Transportation is located at 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO, and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  The Museum receives no government funding and relies on the generosity of the community for continued support.  The Museum is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution for having ‘one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the country,’ and voted one of the top five best open-air museums in the country by the USA Today Readers’ Choice Poll for the past two years.

Aviation Plaza – Naming & Giving Levels

1. Aviation Plaza Naming Rights — $275,000

Benefits:
  • Exclusive naming rights for the entire Aviation Plaza
  • Prominent plaza entrance signage with donor name
  • Recognition on the Museum’s website, annual report, and donor wall
  • Private VIP unveiling event for up to 25 guests
  • Behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s aviation collection
  • Lifetime Family Museum Membership

2. Flight Deck Circle — $150,000

Benefits:
  • Name featured on a dedicated Flight Deck Circle recognition panel
  • Invitation for 10 guests to the Aviation Plaza ribbon-cutting
  • Private guided tour of the F/A-18 E1, Harrier, and F-15 exhibits
  • Ten annual complimentary admission passes
  • Family Museum Membership for 5 years

3. Pilot’s Honor Tier — $50,000

Benefits:
  • Name included on the Pilot’s Honor Tier recognition display
  • Invitation for 6 guests to the ribbon-cutting
  • Six complimentary admission passes annually for 5 years
  • Family Museum Membership for 3 years

4. Wings & Wheels Society — $10,000

Benefits:
  • Name listed on the Wings & Wheels donor plaque
  • Invitation for 4 guests to the Aviation Plaza opening event
  • Four complimentary admission passes annually for 3 years
  • Family Museum Membership for 1 year

5. Runway Supporter — $2,500

Benefits:
  • Name included on the Runway Supporter listing
  • Invitation for 2 guests to the ribbon-cutting
  • Two complimentary admission passes annually for 2 years

6. Aviation Plaza Brick — $300

Benefits:
  • Personalized engraved brick installed within the plaza walkway
  • Digital certificate of appreciation
  • Recognition in the Museum’s online donor listing

7. Aviation Friend — $100

Benefits:
  • Name included in the Museum’s online donor listing
  • Digital thank-you certificate
  • Invitation to special aviation email updates and sneak-peek announcements
For other naming rights levels, please contact Amanda Ryman at [email protected].