The planes of fame air museum will improve the management of its collections to support its move to a new facility at the santa maria public airport

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Planes Of Fame Air Museum $1.2 million on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to improve collections management and prepare its aircraft and artifacts for relocation to a new facility at Santa Maria Public Airport.

The recipient will hire a collections assistant and engage a collections management consultant to update collection policies, improve cataloging and inventory records, resolve undocumented materials, and document priority artifacts for transport and installation. The museum will purchase rehousing supplies, shelving, and storage cabinets for collections storage at the new facility and will engage professional art handlers and crating services to pack and move its collection of aircraft and artifacts documenting U.S. military aviation from World War I through the Vietnam War. The project will strengthen the museum's collections stewardship to support enhanced exhibition and educational capacity and expanded public access to the collections.

The award obligates $1,200,816 with a period of performance ending December 31, 2027. Place of performance is Montclair, California.

The museum will hire a collections assistant and engage a collections management consultant to work with existing staff to update collection policies, improve cataloging and inventory records, resolve undocumented materials, and document priority artifacts for transport and installation in the new space. The team will purchase rehousing supplies, shelving, and storage cabinets for collections storage at the new facility. The museum will engage professional art handlers and crating services to pack and move its collection of aircraft and artifacts documenting U.S. Military aviation from world war i through the vietnam war. By strengthening the museum's collections stewardship, the project will support enhanced exhibition and educational capacity and expanded public access to the collections.