COVID-19 Safety guidelines for Visiting the American Airpower Museum

COVID-19 Safety guidelines for Visiting the American Airpower Museum

The American Airpower Museum follows whatever NYS guidelines are in effect for our institution. While the wearing of masks is encouraged, it is currently no longer a requirement. If you have any questions, please check with the NYS Department of Health before your visit for the current guidelines, as they can change.

As we all deal with the health concerns regarding the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the American Airpower Museum has set up guidelines to provide our visiting public with a safe and enjoyable experience. We have established protocols to allow visitors to enjoy the museum while adhering to the guidelines set forth by New York State and the Center for Disease Control.

Guidelines for Museum Visitors:

All visitors, staff, and volunteers will be asked to kindly wear a mask if they are not vaccinated or are at high risk from COVID-19. During the Summer, Fall, and Spring masks will not be required while the Hangar doors are open and provide air circulation through the facility. During winter months please follow the guidance at the admission counter,and of our docent staff on mask requirements while our hangar doors are closed.This is primarily due to outside air temperatures dropping and required heating needs requiring the wear of masks indoors depending on current medical guidance. If visitors, staff, or volunteers do not have a mask available they will be available in our gift shop / admissions entrance.

  • Access to the hangar is currently up to allowable occupancy but be aware that during winter months or, when the doors are closed, this may require us to limit the number of patrons in the facility at one time.
  • We ask that you please wear a mask as directed in the museum gift shop / admissions desk.

Once inside our hangar there are hand sanitizer stations located at the gift shop entrance, and outside our two restrooms. During your visit we ask that social distancing be maintained as best as possible. UV sanitizing lights have been installed in the bathrooms to provide additional protection and will be operated and checked by museum staff and volunteers regularly during inspections and cleaning.

Once you enter the museum, movement through the display areas will be guided by our staff as needed, otherwise unrestricted. Please follow the instructions of our docents as this will keep guests from unnecessarily passing and bunching up in the pathways as you visit the museum.

Volunteer museum docents will be stationed throughout the museum to provide guidance and answer any questions or concerns you may have.

While visiting the museum tour groups will be kept to smaller sizes, unless a group has arrived together and are associated with each other.

Current Exhibit and Display guidance:

  • The Flight Simulator is currently open – Masks are required due to the close quarters of the aircraft simulator cockpit.
  • C-45 Cockpits are currently accessible to adults and childrento sit in for photographs. In addition, the cockpits will be open for kids to play in on a limited basis.
  • The C-47 is open to the public when in the hangar and available. The number of patrons allowed inside at one time will be under the guidance of a museum docent. A museum docent will be present to answer questions and moderate the time spent inside the C-47 cabin. We ask that you limit hands on exploration and touching of object or surfaces to help us in our goal to provide a clean and safe environment. For the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors the steps, and door frame, and handrails to the boarding stairs will be wiped down regularly.
  • The WWII Bomber simulator fuselage will still be open to the public but flow in an out will be from the rear entrance and exiting the side door. The number of visitors allowed in the cabin at one time will be managed by a museum docent.
  • The museum briefing room and canteen are popular places in our museum to sit and relax while enjoying video presentations or enjoying a snack and drink. Currently we have temporarily removed the tables and benches and we opened the dividing wall between the two to allow for more room and open space to enjoy the video presentations in the briefing room itself. The tables and benches will be returned soon.

As we navigate this challenging time, we hope you will understand the need for taking every precaution during your visit to make your time with us and safe, healthy, and ultimately enjoyable. Our staff, and dedicated volunteers are working hard to keep the museum up and running so we can continue to operate and welcome guests through the continuing challenges caused by COVID-19. We hope that soon these guidelines will be a thing of the past and we can all return to pre-pandemic operations very soon. Thank you all for your understanding and patience and we look forward to having you visit.