HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Hill’s Aerospace Museum joins 20 museums across Northern Utah offering special programs, activities, and exhibits during Top of Utah Museum Week Sept.12-17.
This annual event provides new or uncommon activities, promotes the network of Northern Utah museums, and raises awareness about the importance of museums as venues for cultural preservation.
Hill Aerospace Museum will offer unique experiences throughout the week that highlights the Air Force, especially the missions and history of Hill Air Force Base.
Justin Hall, Hill Aerospace Museum curator, said he looks forward to people experiencing the unique opportunities associated with Top of Utah Museum Week.
“We are excited to participate in this coordinated event and provide unique opportunities for our guests,” he said. “Hill Aerospace Museum experiences include afterhours events, special guest speakers, educational activities, and rare access to some of our most popular aircraft.”
Col. Charles Clegg, Director of the Sentinel Systems Directorate, will speak about ICBMs on Sept. 15. Catered, free food will be served as guests learn about this iconic weapon system, its role in our national defense, and what it will look like at Hill AFB in the not-to-distant future.
Doors open for this after-hours speaking event at 4:30 p.m. The presentation begins at 5:30 p.m.
It's movie night at the museum from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 16. Watch War Games, a film about a high school student who accidentally hacks into a military supercomputer and nearly cause a full-scale nuclear war while searching for video games.
Hill military members and museum staff will be onsite to do demonstrations and chat with visitors as they explore the museum during Open Aircraft Day beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 17. There will be educational activities and food trucks, too.
The open aircraft inside the Fighter and Hadley Galleries are the A-10, B-17, C-47, H-3, H-53, OV-10, F-16, F-84, F-117 and the C-130 classroom. The two aircraft available to tour, located outside are the C-124, KC-135.
“Visitors can look inside the cockpits of some fighter aircraft, and actually walk around inside some of the larger cargo planes,” Hall said. “The advantage to that is getting to see what the pilots and crews of the aircraft see, as well as immersing themselves in some of these iconic aircraft. As an added bonus, visitors can interact with volunteers located at each aircraft, many with personal experiences piloting or maintaining it.”
Hall said he and event organizers have put together a lineup of fun and educational activities that should appeal to all age groups.
“Whether it’s a rare look inside a stealth fighter, chatting with an airman about his or her experiences in the field, or hearing about the next generation of long-range nuclear missiles from a leader in that field, guests can learn about and gain a greater appreciation for the missions and activities of the Air Force, both past and present,” he said.”
The Hill Aerospace Museum is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and admission is always free.
For additional information or inquiries, call 801-775-3570, or visit https://www.aerospaceutah.org/ or our social media outlets.
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