Posted on August 18, 2021 by Heather Adams

Grand Opening of General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum

Grand Opening of General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum

After 5 years of planning and 3 years of preparation, the General Carl Spaatz National U.S. Army Air Force Museum, located at 28 Warwick Street in Boyertown, is set to open on Saturday, October 2. Our living museum concept includes almost 6,000 sq. ft. of space comprising 10 exhibits, of which 6 are featured as interactive for small reserved group tours. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 am. The museum will open at 1:00 for self-guided tours at a special admission fee of $5.00.

Col. Keith Seiwell, USMC (Ret), the Museum’s CEO, estimates that its volunteers have put in thousands of hours getting ready for the big day. Funding for the museum has come from private donations, grants, fundraising activities and an online auction.

Carl Spaatz was born and raised in Boyertown. There is a memorial dedicated to him on Second Street in UBoyertown. At one time, the Reading Regional Airport was known as Spaatz Field. General Spaatz trained most of the American pilots who fought in WWI. He pioneered air-to-air refueling and commanded the Strategic Air Forces of WWII that forever changed the way war is fought. He became the first Chief of Staff of the new US Air Force in 1947.

His commands included Commander of the Eighth Air Force, Commander of the North African Air Force, and Commander of U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, and all American Air Forces in the Pacific after the war was won in Europe.

In addition to self-guided tours with audio descriptions, the museum also offers an enhanced, immersive experience that places a small group of visitors in the time frame of our interactive exhibits and invites the visitor to participate by living in history. The Spaatz Museum will embody “living the mission” by guiding visitors through preparing for, flying and surviving flight and combat. Museum staff, dressed in WWII uniforms, will talk the talk of the wartime era. They will immerse museum visitors the sights and sounds of aerial warfare, including attending pre-flight briefings, donning gear and equipment, piloting a bomber, acting as crew members and bombardiers. It will be an interactive, virtual reality experience.

Follow the countdown to the Grand Opening via Facebook on the museum’s page at: GeneralSpaatzMuseum.

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Community Testimonials

Wish my town had a channel like this, very cool idea to bring the community together and give people a platform.

James

I wanted to thank you again for the opportunity you have created for our kids.  This experience is more than the TV show.  Eight students who probably never would have talked to each other were excited to execute a plan. Know that you make a difference.

Kristi

Thanks for your commitment to communication far and wide, for your technical support, and tireless efforts to bring fresh programs to BCTV. Bravo!

Liz

Thank you for always being receptive to my ideas. All of your efforts help me to help others and that is a blessing to me.

Adrean

Fantastic work and thanks so much for the quick turnaround!  Always a pleasure to work with you and the rest of the BCTV team!

Jim

Thank you and your staff for all you do to accommodate so many different shows, personalities, etc.!  Can’t be easy, but we really do appreciate it.

Martha

I am happy and proud to be a part of such a dedicated assembly of talent and purpose. Thank you for being a part of my efforts to promote theater and the arts in this region.

David