The next museum to open in Calvert County, in some aspects, will be out of this world. A locally based educational nonprofit organization has forged a partnership with Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) to open the Spaceflight America Museum at the Arthur Storer Planetarium in Prince Frederick.
On Tuesday, April 29, Volanz Aerospace Inc.’s Alan Hayes and Sigmund Gorski provided the Calvert County Commissioners with an overview of their plan.
Recently, Volanz entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) to convert the planetarium—located on the Calvert High School campus—into a venue displaying spaceflight memorabilia. The nonprofit’s stated mission is “to promote, preserve and restore artifacts and technology that chronicle the history of manned and unmanned spaceflight.”
Hayes said the museum’s artifact inventory would include items from the American, Chinese and Russian space programs. The space race began in the late 1950s and arguably reached its apex when the U.S. landed men on the Moon in 1969. “We are losing that history,” said Hayes. “We’re losing those people.”
George Leah, CCPS’ director for School Construction, reported the remodeling of the planetarium should be done in May. The proposed new layout includes an area for exhibits, simulators, a “wall of fame,” a lecture area, a gift shop and an International Space Station “mock up.”
Hayes said the museum will be open year ‘round and Volanz will recruit local teachers for its summer program.
Hayes and Gorski asked the county commissioners to aid the nonprofit in their fundraising efforts. “Everything depends on funding,” said Gorski.
Hayes and Gorski passed around some of their treasured artifacts, including space gloves, a 35mm space camera and even a tube of food, which Hayes said was boiled milk and cream. “It tastes terrible,” he said.
More information about the planned museum is available at www.spaceflightamerica.org
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