Visit Palmdale Donates $50,000 for New Air Force Flight Test Museum

PALMDALE, CA.-Visit Palmdale, the new tourism entity promoting Palmdale as a thriving destination for arts, culture, and local businesses, pledged $50,000 for the development of Edwards Air Force Base’s new Air Force Flight Test Museum. The Air Force Flight Test Museum – the only museum in the world dedicated to flight test and flight test history – opened in 2000 with an 8,500 square foot facility.

Visit Palmdale’s donation will contribute toward the development of a new, 75,000 square foot location that will be more accessible to the public and significantly expand the museum’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming for young students.

The Antelope Valley, which has a rich and diverse aerospace history, attracts thousands of visitors who want to experience the impressive range of historic aircraft, X-planes, and prototypes in the region’s many museums and open-air parks. The new museum will be located just outside the West Gate of Edwards Air Force Base, allowing both residents and tourists the chance to explore historical air and spacecraft and rare artifacts. The larger Air Force Flight Test Museum location will also facilitate the expansion of its STEM programming, which teaches STEM subject matter to students by using aerospace and flight test principles.

“Aerospace is vital to the tapestry of Antelope Valley’s history, culture, and economy,” said Austin Bishop, Chairman of Visit Palmdale.

“The new Air Force Flight Test Museum will be a publicly accessible, showstopping landmark for all who visit our community. We are incredibly excited to support the Flight Test Museum Foundation with the development of the new locationand contribute another gem to our region’s buzzworthy aerospace scene.”

The new Air Force Flight Test Museum is currently under construction. An opening date has not yet been determined. For more information on the Air Force Flight Test Museum, visit flighttestmuseum.org. For more information on Visit Palmdale, visit cityofpalmdaleca.gov/visitpalmdale.

ABOUT VISIT PALMDALEVisit Palmdale is the City of Palmdale’s official 501(c)(6)nonprofit tourism organization, created to promote arts, culture, and local businesses in the city. Visit Palmdale represents the city’s dedication to increase visitor activity and expenditures in Palmdale and reinforces tourism’s role in generating local revenue and employment opportunities. For more information, visit cityofpalmdaleca.gov/visitpalmdale.

ABOUT FLIGHT TEST MUSEUM FOUNDATIONThe Flight Test Museum Foundation (FTMF) is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization established in 1983 with a mission to support the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB in Edwards, California, the museum's Blackbird Airpark Annex at USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and to establish a Flight Test Museum open to the general public. FTMF’s mission is to preserve, display, and educate the public about the more than 75 years of flight tests, aerospace and technological developments in the Aerospace Valley. The educational programs provide online and in person activities, lessons, and classes on the principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in flight test and aerospace research to expand knowledge, inspire, and motivate future generations using examples of the advancements in aerospace in our collection. For more information, visit flighttestmuseum.org.