Will Cease Operations At The End Of The Month

By the end of the month, the Virginia Aviation Museum, located on the grounds of Richmond International Airport in central VA, will be no more.

A notice posted on the state-run museum's website is terse. "The Virginia Aviation Museum will close to the public on June 30, 2016.

"Admission to the Virginia Aviation Museum will be free of charge effective now through June 30.

"Built in 1987 and originally intended as a temporary facility, the structure housing the Aviation Museum has reached the end of its useful life. The collection of aircraft will be relocated so they can continue to be preserved as artifacts."

Museum spokeswoman Chrissy Caldwell said that there have been several attempts to find a new home for the museum, but they have not located an appropriate facility. About 13,000 people visited the museum last year, so Caldwell said attendance was not a factor in the decision to close.

The museum houses 38 airplanes, ranging from a WWI Spad to and F-14 Tomcat and several civilian aircraft as well. While the posted notice said the airplanes would be relocated, no specifics were given about where the various aircraft would eventually land.

(Image from video posted to YouTube by user wyliec0y0te)

FMI: www.vam.smv.org