Dancers Step into History at National Warplane Museum

GENESEO – Dancers took a step back in history at the National Warplane Museum on Oct. 15 at the first annual Living History Day Swing Dance.

Though iPhones and Droids took the photos, the Museum’s hangar looked like it was straight out of the 1940’s. After a delicious steak dinner, dancers donned attire of the period and took the dance floor.

“Living History Day is part of our endeavor to offer monthly events at the museum,” said Dawn Shaible, Media Relations Director for the National Warplane Museum. “We really want to become not just a place of airplanes and displays, but also a place where people of the community can gather for something more interactive. We want this place to pop up in the minds of families in the area who would be looking for something to do over the weekend.”

WWII reenactors set up camp on museum grounds, Visitors attended authentic D-Day briefings in the Museum’s new briefing room, and took airplane rides at 25 percent off throughout the day.

Events like this continue to drive Museum admission skyward. Admission has increased for individuals, groups, and schools, and more plane rides than ever have been booked, especially as fall foliage season arrives. Visitors from as far away as Russia have come to take plane rides in the ship-shape historic aircraft.

The next few months’ events are already taking shape. In November, the Museum’s event will honor the nation’s military personnel, past and present, on Veterans Day. In December, Santa will visit the Museum and there will be sleigh (or wagon) rides and hot chocolate. In February, there will be a ‘sweetheart night’ in the hangar.

Schaible added that children’s storytime events will likely begin popping up as 2017 continues. Continue to follow the GeneseeSun.com and the National Warplane Museum’s Facebook page as these events develop.

“We’re a year round operation,” said Dawn Schaible, Director of Planning and Government Affairs and Media Relations. “The National Warplane Museum is a four-seasons destination for Geneseo, Livingston County and New York State that offers year-round in-person experiences with flying historic aircraft and exhibits preserving the legacy of the greatest generation.”