Ryan PT-22 wing tip at the Mid-America Air Museum
Our Approach:
The Mid-America Air Museum has an extensive collection of airplanes, helicopters, and memorabilia. We are committed to preserving Kansas aviation history and enriching life in SW Kansas. This 86,000 square-foot museum is owned and operated by the city of Liberal Kansas and has over 100 aircraft on display.
Changing Exhibits: We host traveling exhibits frequently to attract school tours within a five-state area.
STEM/LEGO League: Our certified First Lego League coaches guide teams in a five-state area to research STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) problems such as food safety, recycling, and energy to discover solutions. The teams design, build and program their robot, ultimately competing in a two-day spring event at the museum. (Lego League is for school-age children in grades 4-8)
Our Story
The Liberal airfield was used from 1943-45 as a B-24 training base and trained more B-24 crews than any other airfield during World War II.
In 1985, during a 40-year pilot reunion, the idea of an aviation museum in the empty Beechcraft manufacturing plant took root. It blossomed into the Liberal Air Museum in 1987.
In 1997 Colonel Tom A. Thomas Jr., USAF (ret.) donated his collection of 53 planes (a $3 million value at the time) to the museum. That same year the city of Liberal took responsibility for the museum and changed the name to the Mid-America Air Museum.
The museum continues to grow and reflects aircraft from four separate wars, five branches of the service, civilian production, and experimental aircraft.