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The museum will be closing early, Saturday, March 16th, at 3:00 pm for our Horizons Event.

Media Releases

--Updated 03/08/22--

ANNOUNCEMENT

As of March 9th, 2022, face coverings at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum will be optional for guests and staff.  Our organization will continue to follow guidance from the CDC for safest behaviors related to COVID-19.  The museum is committed to creating an environment in which those who are unable to be vaccinated can feel comfortable visiting.  We will continue to monitor both the guidance of the CDC and our visitors' behaviors and update these guidelines accordingly.

 


PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

--Dated 09/14/21--

Starting on September 14th, 2021, The Ohio History Connections has instituted the following guidelines for all partner sites within the State of Ohio:

– Face coverings will be worn in all indoor locations by all visitors, staff, volunteers, and contractors.

– Face coverings will not be required outdoors when social distancing of at least six feet can be achieved.

– We will continue to enforce enhanced cleaning protocols, provide sanitation stations, and encourage good hygiene such as hand washing. 

– If you are not feeling well on the day of your visit, we ask that you reschedule and visit when you are feeling well again. 

These guidelines are subject to change based on infection rate and recommendations from government agencies such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 

-Dated 07/14/21

On June 2, 2021, the State of Ohio is removing all health orders related to the pandemic that would apply to museum operations. The Armstrong Air & Space Museum will continue to follow current guidance from the CDC for safest behaviors related to COVID-19, while also taking into consideration the unique architecture of our building and galleries. As more than 30% of our visitors are children under the age of 12, and thus ineligible for vaccination, the museum is committed to creating an environment in which those who are unable to be vaccinated can feel comfortable visiting. Below are the guidelines under which the Armstrong Museum will be operating effective June 2, 2021. We will continue to monitor both the guidance of the CDC and our visitors' behaviors and update these guidelines accordingly.

Face covering will not be required of any visitors, employees or volunteers. Masks are highly encouraged for children ages 3-11 and any other unvaccinated individuals 12 and up, per CDC public health guidelines.

We will continue to follow our enhanced cleaning procedures and provide hand sanitizer stations throughout our public spaces. 

Due to the building's unique layout, we will continue to evaluate the visitor experience based on reasonable comfort levels and may control entry into the building or individual classrooms or galleries.

The Astro-Theater has reopened for regular showings of our Apollo 11 documentary at the top and bottom of the hour. Please check with front desk about any changes.

-Dated 7/23/20--

The following changes have been made by the Armstrong Air & Space Museum to promote the general health and safety of our guests, staff, and volunteers.

  • Masks are mandatory for staff members and volunteers.
  • Due to state regulations, guests are now required to wear masks.
  • The museum is operating on a block scheduling system with each session limiting building capacity to 75 visitors. 
  • Signage has been placed throughout the museum to remind visitors of social distancing guidelines and to indicate where sanitizer stations are located.
  • Hand sanitizer stations have been placed near high contact areas for visitors to utilize before and after touching exhibit and gift shop surfaces. 
  • A combination of floor markings and branded floor mats are used to indicate six-foot separations for guests to use.
  • Due to confinement issues, the Astro-Theater will not show our normal Apollo 11 documentary. 
  • If you are experiencing fever, shortness of breath, cough, sore throat, chills, loss of taste or smell, or muscle pain, please come back another time!

 

--06/17/2020 3:00 pm--

In preparation for the Armstrong Air & Space Museum’s reopening, the organization has made the following changes to increase guest and staff safety. The Museum will fully open to the public on Tuesday, June 23rd and will initially only be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The organization will operate in block scheduling and sell tickets for three 2-hour sessions each day starting at 9:30am, 12:30pm and 3:30pm. The museum will be selling only 65 tickets per two-hour block and will not be accepting individual reservations at this time and will sell tickets based on a first-come, first-served basis. Armstrong Museum Executive Director Dante Centuori stated that, “It is our top priority to ensure the health and safety of our staff and visitors during this time. The museum will add additional operating days once we are satisfied that our operating plan functions in practice. Until then, we will keep the public notified of any changes via our website and social media accounts.”

Museum staff members and volunteers are required to wear masks at all times and are asked to sanitize their hands before and after helping patrons. Guests are also highly encouraged to wear masks but are not required. The only time that masks will be required for all visitors is during hours dedicated to vulnerable individuals, which will be Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 AM. The museum has implemented a new sanitation schedule which includes hourly cleanings throughout the day and a deep cleaning on days closed to the public. Signage and floor markers have been added to remind guests to maintain at least six feet of distance from each other whenever possible. Sanitizer stations have also been added near high contact areas around the museum. Due to confinement issues, the Astro-Theater will not be showing the regular Apollo 11 documentary. Instead, the museum will be introducing extra value-added programming to enrich the overall experience. When asked about reopening, Centuori added, “The Ohio History Connection and our association have been diligently working to implement the highest standards of safety in response to COVID-19 and we eagerly await for the return of our guests and members.” For more information, please visit the museum website at www.armstrongmuseum.org or call (419)-738-8811.

 

Media announcement 

--06/12/2020 5:30 pm--

WAPAKONETA – In partnership with the Ohio History Connection, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum is pleased to announce that the organization will be reopening our doors to the public starting Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020. Our top priority is the safety of our visitors and staff. We are following guidelines provided by the Ohio Department of Health to create the safest environment possible as we reopen. The museum will open in a phased approach, reopening three days a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. More days of operation will be added in later phases once the museum can assure that staff can adequately promote a positive guest experience. Information about our new hours of operation and public best practices will be released shortly in upcoming media announcements and promoted on our website in advance of our re-opening. For more information, visit www.armstrongmuseum.org or call us at (419)-738-8811. 

 

A message from Dante Centuori, Executive Director

--06/05/2020 12:00 pm--

In accordance with Governor DeWine's state health directives, Ohio museums may begin reopening starting June 10th of this year. The Armstrong Air & Space Museum has begun the process of initiating our reopening strategy and will begin finalizing logistical details and coordinating with staff to properly execute our strategy. Museum officials are examining Responsible RestartOhio and other guidelines to assure that our plan complies with state regulations. The museum will release an official date of reopening once this strategy has been fully implemented and the organization believes it can provide an environment that is healthy and safe for staff and visitors. Once an official date has been approved, the museum will publish an announcement on our website and our social media platforms. Thank you for your support and the museum looks forward to reopening once again. 

 

 

A message from Dante Centuori, Executive Director

--4/15/20 1:00pm--

As you probably know, one month ago the Museum closed to the public as a proactive response to the COVID-19 threat.  This stands in stark contrast to the atmosphere just nine months ago as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. Yet despite the closure, the importance of our mission and our work supporting it, is ongoing. 

Few people in human history will be remembered forever – Mr. Neil Armstrong will likely be among them. People around the world remember where they were and what they were doing as he said, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”.  For this moment, the world was united in celebrating the accomplishment as though it were their own.

Fifty years later, people around the world are united again, as we are now asked to combat the Coronavirus Pandemic by practicing “Social Distancing”.  As a result, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum has closed.  Income from admissions, tours, museum store purchases, and outreach programing have ceased, while our expenses continue.

The abrupt, mandated closing created a major loss of vital visitation revenue that we need to fund our programs and services throughout the year. Despite budget cuts and other cost-saving measures, we’re still falling short. Last year over 70,000 people experienced the museum and our innovative outreach and educational programs. We love doing what we do for you and all of Ohio, which is why we are reaching out in our time of need.

With this in mind, we invite you to participate in the museum’s Inspire and Educate Your Community Fund. 

We, once again, need your help.  You may make a donation by contributing online here.

Thank you for your support of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum and our commitment to celebrate Ohio’s rich history and contributions to the continued exploration of aeronautics and space.  We look forward to seeing you at the Museum soon.

 

--4/10/20 12:30pm--

As we approach the four-week mark of being closed to the public, nothing has changed in terms of our operations. The Museum, like all of Ohio, is under a stay-at-home order which is in effect until at least May 1st.  Under these guidelines, our staff has been working from home with only limited personnel on-site to ensure the safety of our facility and collections. But despite these challenges, our team has been able to create special content to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission which launched on April 11, 1970.  Starting tomorrow, our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts will have daily content related to Apollo 13, with special highlights to our collection.

This was the second Apollo mission to be commanded by a native Ohioan:  Jim Lovell, born in Cleveland in 1928, just 2 years before Neil Armstrong arrived here in Wapakoneta in 1930. (And in fact, Ohio is the only state that can boast having two lunar missions commanded by a native son!)  And of course, there’s Toledo’s Gene Kranz, who as Flight Director spearheaded the efforts on the ground.  We hope you will enjoy following our posts, fun facts and videos as we follow the mission day-to-day. Also, our Education team has been working on features that you’ll see on our social media platforms right after the Apollo 13 mission coverage ends. So please follow if you aren’t already!

Fifty years ago, NASA was only nine months removed from the epic success of Apollo 11 when they were faced with the crisis of Apollo 13.  Similarly, it was also just nine months ago when we all came together to execute the wildly successful Apollo 11 “First on the Moon” 50th Anniversary celebration here in Wapakoneta.  I know these are very different crises, but I believe Wapakoneta and the Armstrong Air & Space Museum will get through this the same way—through teamwork, creativity, ingenuity and a dedication to the mission. Something to think about as we relive the events of Apollo 13 over the next seven days, events later referred to as NASA’s “finest hour.”  And the fact that the leaders both on the ground and in space were from the Buckeye State probably shouldn’t surprise anyone.

 

--3/21/20 10:00AM--

Clearly the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented situation, and The Armstrong Air & Space Museum supports all the efforts being done at the local, state and federal level to help combat the spread of this virus. With the indefinite nature of this interruption in business, it is challenging to make projections, so we are trying to position ourselves in the best way possible to get through this unpredictable time.

When the Ohio History Connection made the difficult decision to temporarily close the museum site system on Saturday, March 14, and we shut our doors, our first priority was (and remains) the welfare of our staff. The staff, including myself, are employed by The Armstrong Air & Space Museum Association, which oversee the daily operations of the museum. As we evaluated the practical reality of an indefinite closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced an impossible decision. We rely heavily on revenue generated by museum attendance, and that came to a sudden halt with no way to predict when it might return. Analyzing our situation, we decided that the best way to help our team is to ensure the Museum can operate viably when we reopen after this crisis.

Yesterday, we made the tough decision to lay off the part-time Guest Services and Facilities staff. These people are the first and last faces our visitors see when they come to the Museum, the people who ensure their visit is pleasant, the people who say hello, thank you and come again. With the new provisions put into place by the state, they should be able to receive unemployment benefits without interruption in pay. And we are looking forward to when we can reopen and once again welcome guests to our Museum.

To our supporters, members and donors, thank you. As we struggle due to the loss of visitor revenue, your support is even more important. To help shoulder the burden, we have established a way to donate to the Museum. If are you able to help, it would bring joy to some difficult days at your Armstrong Air & Space Museum. Thank you.

 

--03/14/2020, 9:30 AM--

Out of care for the health of our visitors, volunteers, staff and community at large, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum will be temporarily closed to the public as part of an international effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The closure went into effect beginning today Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Because of the rapidly changing nature of this pandemic, a re-opening date will not be announced at this time. As a part of the Ohio History Connection site system, we will re-open according to their direction. Updates on the museum's hours will be posted on our armstrongmuseum.org website and social media channels.

Individuals who have registered for upcoming events will be contacted regarding the rescheduling or cancellation of these programs.

We are experiencing an unprecedented public health crisis and the health and safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. Being proactive in stemming the spread of COVID-19 is critical, and early social distancing measures have been borne out by scientific evidence to be a crucial step in stopping the spread of the virus.

We thank you for your support and understanding and will keep you informed of any additional changes in operation as this rapidly evolving public health situation continues.