The Alberta Aviation Museum is the place where our province’s rich history of flight is on display. From an immersive collection of prominent aircrafts to a library, archives, and a restoration bay, you’ll find everything you need – and more – to enjoy Alberta’s contributions to flight during times of peace, exploration, and war. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alberta Aviation Museum has been agile, adapting to serve patrons when open; closing and providing online experiences when necessary. Now, as the Museum gears up to reopen once again, you have a chance to enjoy the experience in a unique way. How? You can become a member.
Alberta Aviation Museum membership dues support the Museum while giving you incredible access to the facility in a dynamic way. The levels of membership are:
- Basic for $40 allows you to bring one extra guest, provides unlimited admission, appointment access to the library, and membership voting privileges (for 18+).
- Preferred membership for $80 builds on the previous package and adds 10 per cent off non corporate facility rentals, complimentary discount coupons, and one open cockpit access per year (in the plane(s) specially designed to let you enjoy sitting in the cockpit). This level also includes opportunities for partnership discounts as they become available.
- Family membership for $125 includes all the benefits of preferred along with membership discounts on all family programs.
- Lifetime membership for $1,000 includes everything in preferred but excludes family discounts. It does, however, come with top-tier lifetime membership status and that comes with gratitude benefits.
The most popular packages are the preferred, family, and lifetime memberships because of the cockpit access. These restored planes are kept in carefully controlled conditions to ensure their stories and history are around for generations to explore. Yet, the curators at the Museum know the allure of sitting in the cockpit of some of the most famous planes in Canada! For this reason, memberships have been structured to allow cockpit access, while preserving the planes’ integrity. With access restricted to members only, wear and tear is limited and restoration efforts can be maintained. This special access experience gives you a once-in-a-lifetime photo where you get to truly capture your interaction with a historical artifact.
Every experience at the museum is a special one. If you have children, the discovery backpacks (a $5.00 rental) takes them on a high flying adventure. When restrictions ease and the museum fully opens once again, PD day camps keep your kids busy and learning all day long. Online events, such as the Women of Aviation Celebration, always ensure there is something new to learn. For the Instagram influencers, what cooler backdrop is there than a Fairchild 71C, the bush plane of the 20s, or the sleek Canadair CT-133 Silver Star MK.3AT that served with distinction during times of war?
Edmonton is fortunate to be home to one of the most unique, interactive museums in province. This is a local gem and a tourist delight. Whether the museum is open fully, open with special protocols in place, or offering online content during the pandemic, you can buy your membership at any time. For the low cost of a membership, you get a full flight of benefits that will intrigue now, then, and anytime you visit.
As facilities reopen and everyone clamours to get out and be active during the summer, you can get ahead of the pack by securing your membership today. Visit the museum’s website to learn more, follow along on Facebook, and consider making a donation to help keep the doors open and the restorations going.
