BRODHEAD — The Kelch Aviation Museum will host a grand opening on Friday, July 23, after five years of fundraising and community support. The event will be the first time the museum has been open to the public. The new facilities consist of a 12,000 square foot main space, the Bill & Sue Knight Memorial Vintage Hangar, filled with aircraft, engines, cars, and immersive displays, and the Kent Joranlien Memorial Fellowship Hall, featuring an archive and research library and a rentable gathering space.

A non-profit, the museum was founded through the Alfred & Lois Kelch Charitable Trust, with additional financial contributions from the Brodhead Area Foundation, the William S. Knight Foundation, the family of Kent Joranlien, Rudy and Nancy Kopp, and countless local and national personal donations. The museum’s mission is to celebrate and preserve the science and romance of civil aviation between the World Wars, offer STEM educational opportunities to folks of all ages, and provide a space for community, history, and fun.

“We’ve been talking about it for so long, it feels surreal that we’re really opening,” said Patrick Weeden, the museum’s Executive Director. “So many people have been supportive over the years — I’m hoping when they finally walk in the doors they stop and think, ‘Wow, I helped make this a reality.’”

The grand opening will begin at 10 a.m. with a small celebration and ribbon-cutting, followed by an entire weekend of special tours, activities, and free ice cream. More information can be found online at www.kelchmuseum.org, or on the museum’s Facebook page.

The Kelch Aviation Museum is located at the Brodhead Airport, which will be hosting the annual Pietenpol Fly-in event, making it a very special weekend for aviation and community alike.