THE NIAGARA AEROSPACE MUSEUM

Niagara Falls NY

Admission:

§         Adults $7.00

§         Seniors $6.00

§         Children $4.00

§         Family $25.00

 

 

The Niagara Falls museum capitalizes on the local aviation history of Western NY.  Glenn Curtiss, a native, chose Buffalo for his first factories, being the closest large city.  Later, Larry Bell also chose the area after he split from Martin.  The museum highlights these two pioneers, but focuses primarily on Bell.  The museum has been in operation since 1991 and at this location since November 2002

 

The Museum is small, but packed and well done and there are things there that you just can’t find anywhere else.

 

The museum features, a replica 1911 Curtiss pusher, a Bell P-39Q, a Hall GA-36, a Sweitzer sailplane, and the Bell X-22A.  Also featured are two Bell 47 helicopters.  The P-39 is on loan form the Smithsonian while the X-22A is on loan from the Museum of Naval Aviation History in Pensacola Florida.  Also there is a full size mock up of the X-1.

 

Numerous engines and paraphernalia adorn the small setting.  Some of the engines on display are the Allison V-1710, and PW R1800.

 

In the modeling section, there is a collection donated by the family of the late Robert Morasse.  He was a Professor of Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).  His family donated his entire collection spanning over 40 years and includes over 1,400 1/72 scale models.

 

There are numerous films, interactive displays and small flight simulator.  Also the Museum has several Link trainers, due for completion shortly.

 

While the Museum is small, the Director, Raymond O’Keefe has done an excellent job of getting the most bang for the buck in the space available.

 

To contact the Museum or learn more about it, their website is: www.niagaramuseum.org

 

If you are in the area the Museum is inexpensive and well worth the cost of admission.

 

John Doerr

 

On to the photos