History of the Museum of Aviation Science

1978-1982 Committee for investigating facilities to disseminate aviation ideas at the Aviation Promotion Foundation
Survey of aviation museums in European and American countries (1978)
Location decided in Iwayama area (1979)
Basic design, surveying and soil investigation (1980)
Exhibition and design consideration (1982)
July 1982 Exhibit “YS-11 prototype No. 1” airlifted to Narita Airport
July 1983 Preparation Committee for Construction of Aviation Ideas Diffusion Facility
Formulation of the “Basic Concept for Construction of Facilities for Promoting Aviation Ideas”
July 1984 Application for permission to establish the Foundation for the Promotion of Aeronautical Science (established in June)
Founder and Representative Ryoichi Sasagawa
First Chairman Hidemasa Kimura
July 1984 Formulation of the “Aviation Museum (tentative name) construction prospectus”
July 1984 Start of detailed design for buildings and exhibits
July 1984 Museum name decided: “Museum of Aeronautical Science”
June 1986 Certification of testing and research corporations, etc.
July 1988 Aviation Science Museum construction begins (completed in May 1989)
July 1989 Commemorative tree planting (related to Narita Airport 10th anniversary)
July 1989 Aviation Science Museum opens (library starts in September)
October-November 1989 Special exhibition “Pan American History Photo Gallery” held
July 1990 Aircraft model donation (Mr. Hiroshi Yamamoto)
July 1990 Highest number of visitors (paid) on 4th: 1 people in one day
Aviation Science Museum News No. 1 published (currently being published quarterly)
July 1990 Museum registration (Museum Law)
Aviation Junk Market held (now held in Spring and Autumn)
July 1991 Rest house construction
November-December 1991 Boeing 75th Anniversary Exhibition
July 1991 Volunteer system started
July 1991 "Aviation class for beginners" held (held once a year since then)
July 1992 Highest number of visitors (free) on the 20th: 1 people in one day
July 1993 Commemorative tree planting (related to Narita Airport 15th anniversary)
July 1994 Achieved 30 million visitors on 100th
July 1995 Pedestrian path opened
July 1995 All Nippon Airways Volunteer Group YS-11 Maintenance
October-November 1995 Special exhibition “All Nippon Airways Triple Seven Exhibition” held
July 1996 Special opening on New Year's Day "Let's see the first sunrise and the first sunrise at the museum" begins
NAA corner opened on the 2nd floor of the main building
July 1997 Special exhibition “Narita Airport 20th Anniversary Special Exhibition” held
July 1998 Special exhibition “Japan Airlines B747 Jumbo Exhibition” held
July 1999 Museum shop "Viplane" opens in the new central building of Narita Airport Terminal 1 building
July 1999 Achieved 16 million visitors on 200th
July 1999 10th anniversary of opening
July 2000 NAA Eco Airport Corner opened
July 2000 Homepage opened
July 2002 Opening of NAA sound experience room
July 2003 DC-8 simulator renewal
July 2003 Entrance starts from the airport side
July 2004 15th anniversary of opening
July 2004 Reached 300 visitors
July 2005 Boeing 747-400 large model and cockpit installation
July 2008 European and American aviation museum survey (2nd time)
July 2008 Exhibit Learjet introduced from America (donated by Narita Airport Biseisha Co., Ltd.)
July 2011 Exhibit 747sec41 Paid tour guide on board begins
July 2012 Transferred to the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences, a public interest incorporated foundation
July 2012 Exhibit 747 fuselage cross section installation
July 2014 NAA corner Narita Airport model renewal
July 2014 Exhibit 747 Main wing cross section installation
July 2014 Reached 500 visitors
July 2015 DC-8 simulator renewal
July 2015 Bus terminal opened
July 2016 Mockup renewed by ANA volunteers
July 2019 30th anniversary reopening
Reached 600 visitors
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