New England Air Museum to Get $500,000 State Grant

State Representatives Peggy Sayers, D-Windsor/Windsor Locks, and Elaine O’Brien, D-East Granby/Suffield/Windsor, announced Friday that a $500,000 grant-in-aid for the is expected to be approved at the next meeting of the state Bond Commission. The legislators worked to secure the funding.

The state Bond Commission is scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m August 31, in Room 1E, Legislative Office Building.

Located at Bradley International Airport, the museum is the largest aviation museum in New England. The museum, governed by a volunteer board of directors, is an educational organization dedicated to preserving and presenting historically significant aircraft, welcoming visitors and providing students with hands-on educational programs.

The grant to the New England Air Museum is for an education and conference center and to expand hangar space.

“I am very excited that the New England Air Museum is getting this grant,” Sayers said in a press release. “The staff does a terrific job of providing educational programs for students in our area schools that are unique and inspiring.”

“Our New England Air Museum is worthy of this grant because of the great work of their staff and volunteers,” O’Brien said said in a press release. “It’s important that the Museum will not only continue to preserve and present the history of aviation, but will welcome visitors to our region of the state and enhance our quality of life.”

The legislators thanked Governor Dannel P. Malloy for acting on their request for the funding.