THE SOUTHERN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT
Is one of the largest aviation museums in the Southeast, is dedicated to presenting civilian, military, and experimental aircraft and memorabilia from the earliest history of powered flight.
The 75,000 square foot facility houses over 100 aircraft, as well as engines, models, artifacts, photographs, and paintings. In addition, the Southern Museum of Flight is home to the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame with over 70 biographical plaques presenting Alabama aviation history through collective biography.
Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for kids.
Active military & families are $5.
Children 3 and under are $free.
Annual museum family memberships are $100.
Family memberships include reciprocal memberships with hundreds of other museums.
Discounted group rates are available.
Active military & families are $5.
Children 3 and under are $free.
Annual museum family memberships are $100.
Family memberships include reciprocal memberships with hundreds of other museums.
Discounted group rates are available.
SO HOW DID WE TAKE FLIGHT?
With the approach of the centennial celebration of the city of Birmingham in the mid 1960s, a civic committee began working on projects that would tell the story of the first 100 years of the City of Birmingham. Mrs. Mary Alice Beatty, who, with her husband, Donald Beatty had been pioneers in the establishment of the first airline routes and bases in Central and South America, felt that the Aviation History of Birmingham should be included in these projects.
The Committee’s goal was to establish a regional air museum, to be called The Southeastern Museum of Aviation, and Mrs. Beatty was placed in charge of the project with $400 appropriated for expenses. Using the Beatty’s own collection of memorabilia as a basis, in 1966 she established the first displays in six display cases. Samford University offered space for the displays, which, by that time, was called The Birmingham Museum of Aviation. The displays remained at Samford for three years, during which time Mrs. Beatty was the curator. Mrs. Beatty then moved the displays to a location closer to the airport, using the main lobby of the Birmingham Airport Motel, which stood at the location of the present short-term parking deck across the street from the old terminal.
WE DO MORE THAN SOAR
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in 1978 at the museum’s current location, and the Southern Museum of Flight was officially opened to the public in the fall of 1983. After nearly three decades of growth and expansion, the Southern Museum of Flight is dedicated to investigating, preserving, and promoting the rich stories of Southern Aviation and to providing enjoyable, experiential educational programming for people of all ages. Through collaborative partnerships within the community, the Southern Museum of Flight provides a continuum of exhibitions, displays, and educational services with a sincere devotion to cultural and historical literacy. The Southern Museum of Flight prepares and supports skillful, reflective professionals who improve the quality of aviation education in a museum setting.
The Southern Museum of flight presents civilian, military, and experimental aircraft and memorabilia from the earliest history of powered flight. The museum houses over 100 aircraft, as well as engines, models, artifacts, and paintings. In addition, the Southern Museum of Flight is home to the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame with over 70 biographical plaques presenting Alabama aviation history through collective biography.
MEET OUR PILOTS OF THE MUSEUM
Dr. Brian J. Barsanti
Executive Director & Historian
Brian has been a part of the Southern Museum of Flight team for over ten years. He serves as a part-time faculty member at Huntingdon College, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Miles College. Brian is a graduate of a number of military training schools including the United States Army Airborne School, and he currently serves as an officer in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. He completed his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and his education includes a graduate degree in History from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Brian also holds the Ph.D. from the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research interests include Museums in the 21st Century, Collaborative Organizational Structures, Museums as Interdisciplinary/Educational Resources, and 20th Century Military History within Public History Settings.
O to speed where there is space enough and air enough at last! — Walt Whitman, One Hour to Madness and Joy, 1860.
Daphne Dunn
Chief of Staff & Human Resources Officer
What do you do at the Museum? Chief Of Staff Human Resource Officer
When did you join the museum team? 2004
What is your favorite part of your job? Watching The Students Face Light Up And Getting Excited About Learning About All The Cool Airplanes And History Of Aircraft.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I love drag racing and fast cars. Favorite Movie? Love And Basketball, Troy, Titantic
Favorite Restaurant? Village Tavern, Loc Arcos
Describe your dream vacation? Bora Bora and Australia
When did you join the museum team? 2004
What is your favorite part of your job? Watching The Students Face Light Up And Getting Excited About Learning About All The Cool Airplanes And History Of Aircraft.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I love drag racing and fast cars. Favorite Movie? Love And Basketball, Troy, Titantic
Favorite Restaurant? Village Tavern, Loc Arcos
Describe your dream vacation? Bora Bora and Australia
The airplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth. — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Wayne Novy
Director of Operations & Curator
Wayne joined the Southern Museum of Flight in 2004, after retiring from the United States Air Force. In his 22 year career, he worked avionic systems, crewed many versions of the C-135 and learned four Slavic languages. He is the only Air Force enlisted graduate of the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course. Wayne has worked at a number of aviation museums, and he has maintained vintage aircraft both flying and non-flying. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with degrees in History and Anthropology.
What do you do at the Museum? Curator
When did you join the museum team? 2004
What is your favorite part of your job? Working with artifacts and aircraft
What would people be surprised to learn about you? Lived in the Philippines as a child.
Favorite Movie? Twelve O’clock High
Favorite Restaurant? Chipotle
Describe your dream vacation? Two weeks, end of September, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
What do you do at the Museum? Curator
When did you join the museum team? 2004
What is your favorite part of your job? Working with artifacts and aircraft
What would people be surprised to learn about you? Lived in the Philippines as a child.
Favorite Movie? Twelve O’clock High
Favorite Restaurant? Chipotle
Describe your dream vacation? Two weeks, end of September, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport. — Orville Wright
Zachary Edison
Restoration Manager
Zachary joined the Southern Museum of Flight part-time in June of 2011 and became a permanent member of the team in November 2011. He previously worked for Alabama Aircraft Industries as a Senior Estimator on KC-135, C-130, P-3 aircraft and H-60 helicopter depot-level repair maintenance. He retired from the United States Air Force after 24 years. During his military career, he worked as a Crew Chief and Superintendent on C-5, C-141, C-130, C-9 and C-17 aircraft. He became a master instructor teaching C-141, C-130 and C-5 aircraft maintenance. Zachary has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Talladega College, and two Associates Degrees from the Community College of the Air Force in both Aircraft Maintenance and Military Instructor of Technology.
What they do at the museum? Restoration Technician
When did they join the team? June 2011
Their favorite part of their job? Going to get rare aircraft and bringing them to the museum for restoration and seeing the finished project
What would people be surprised to learn about them? Like to go to science fiction movies
What do they do in their free time? Restoring a 1953 Chevy truck
Favorite Movie? Ghost Busters
Favorite Restaurant? Apple Bee’s
Describe their dream vacation. Trip to Germany to tour and see old friends
What they do at the museum? Restoration Technician
When did they join the team? June 2011
Their favorite part of their job? Going to get rare aircraft and bringing them to the museum for restoration and seeing the finished project
What would people be surprised to learn about them? Like to go to science fiction movies
What do they do in their free time? Restoring a 1953 Chevy truck
Favorite Movie? Ghost Busters
Favorite Restaurant? Apple Bee’s
Describe their dream vacation. Trip to Germany to tour and see old friends
It is as though we have grown wings, which thanks to Providence, we have learnt to control. — Louis Bl—riot, Atlantic Monoplanes of tomorrow.
Melissa C. Morgan
Education Coordinator
Melissa joined the Southern Museum of Flight team in 2014 and has served in the museum and University fields for over 15 years. Most recently, she served as the Director of Brenau University Galleries in Gainesville, GA, as well as the Assistant Director of Centre for Living Arts and Executive Director of the Pensacola Museum of Art. Melissa has received several international, national, and state recognition awards, and recently selected to attend the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Non-Profit Management Leadership Seminar. She has held leadership positions for the American Alliance of Museums, Southeastern Museums Conference, and Alabama Museums Association as well as serving as a grant review panelist for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Corpmoreinfo, and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Ms. Morgan holds a M.A. in Art History and a B.A. in English from the University of Alabama and an M.B.A., Management, from the University of South Alabama.
My soul is in the sky. — William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream