Southern Museum of Flight to celebrate 50th anniversary with Oct. 29 gala

September 29, 2016 11:55 AM

Photo courtesy of Southern Museum of Flight.

Fifty years after the Southern Museum of Flight was founded, it now houses nearly 100 different aircraft along with models, historical exhibits and paintings. To honor its history, the museum is hosting a gala at the Birmingham Airport.

The 50th Anniversary Gala will be Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the airport’s HealthSouth Hangar, at 4851 65th Place N. Executive Director Brian Barsanti said the event will be the museum’s main fundraiser of the year.

The gala is black tie optional, and the evening will include live music, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and a silent auction.

“We have been in the planning phase for the Gala for roughly a year now. It will serve as a celebration of the museum’s storied 50-year history — where we have been, where we are and where we are going. It is a testament to the museum’s longevity and education-oriented mission,” Barsanti said.

The museum was started in 1966 by Mary Alice Beatty with six display cases of her own memorabilia from years of flying with her husband, Donald Beatty. The collection had several homes until its current location, 4343 73rd St. N., opened in 1983. Since that time, the Southern Museum of Flight has been expanding its collection, exhibits and educational programs.

Barsanti said he was particularly pleased with the improvements in the museum’s life-size dioramas, interactive exhibits and education work over the years.

The funds raised at the 50th Anniversary Gala will help support some of the museum’s upcoming work. Barsanti said these include the opening of the 75th Anniversary Civil Air Patrol Exhibition Oct. 14 and a re-dedication of the Early Aviation Hangar Dec. 17, which will feature a Wright Flyer replica, a WWI German fighter and an early Delta Airlines planes.

In 2017, Barsanti said the museum will unveil a Tuskegee B-25, which was used as a bomber training plane during World War II, as well as a D-21 supersonic reconnaissance drone.

Tickets to the 50th Anniversary Gala are $150 and table and sponsorship options are available. Contact Melissa Morgan at melissacmorgan11@gmail.com or Dr. Brian J. Barsanti at Brian.J.Barsanti@outlook.com for more information.