About Our Museum Collection
Sullenberger Aviation Museum collects and cares for artifacts significant to North Carolina and South Carolina aviation history. The Museum’s collection includes a wide variety of military, commercial, and civilian aircraft. In addition, the Museum houses smaller artifacts such as paper items, photographs, textiles, books, glassware, memorabilia, digital media, and oral histories.
Our Collection Policy
We acquire and maintain collections to preserve appropriate examples of historic and contemporary materials for present and future generations. The Museum only collects items that directly relate to the existing thematic framework and communication objectives of the Museum and our mission.
Making a Donation Appointment
The Museum has a formal donation process to evaluate whether items align with the Museum’s mission and collecting priorities. The Collections Manager will work with you to determine whether the object meets the museum's collecting criteria. Criteria for evaluating the object for acceptance into the collection include the following considerations:
- Was the object made or used in North Carolina or South Carolina?
- What is the object's historical significance to North Carolina or South Carolina?
- Can documentation (written or oral) on the object be found or provided?
- Does the object need conservation work?
- Does the object support the existing collection?
- Is the object an original?
- What is the object's exhibit potential?
- What impact would the object have on available storage space?
If the object meets enough criteria, the Collections Manager will present it to the Collections team for review. The Museum’s Board must approve the potential donation if the acquisition of the artifact would require significant financial impacts on the Museum or a significant investment of space.
If you’re interested in donating materials or artifacts to the collection, please contact Collections Manager Rachel McManimen at rachel@sullenbergeraviation.org for more information.
Mailed donations cannot be opened and the Museum does not accept drop-off donations. Thank you!
Recent Donations to the Collection
(click the image to learn more about the artifact)
Photograph of Homer and Sadie Belle Kirkman, operators of the Airport 77 Restaurant at the Douglas Municipal Airport. Most known for the dining room named “The Dogwood Room,” the Airport 77 restaurant opened up in 1946, serving customers and providing catering for airlines flying out of Douglas Municipal Airport until the mid-1960s when the restaurant closed down.
After years of lobbying the federal government and garnering support from local Charlotteans, the City Government’s bid for an airmail stop was approved in January 1930. The airmail stop opened on April 1, 1930, amidst a large celebration that drew a crowd of thousands of people. This letter was sent by way of the Charlotte airmail stop on the inaugural flight, marked with the inaugural flight stamp commemorating the inaugural flight along the New York to Atlanta route.
Flightsuit worn by CDR Bud Warfield, pilot of SAM’s A-7 Corsair II.
Boots and wallet belonging to Vicki Barnhardt (26C), passenger on US Airways Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson. Vicki was wearing these boots and her wallet was in her purse at the time of the emergency landing on the Hudson River.