October 2026 – A Message from our CEO, Scot Laney
New this Fall @ NORAM
As we move into the fall season, we say farewell to the influx of summer visitors and use the reduction in foot traffic to refresh our space, welcome school tours, and bring special, fun events to our Supporters and friends.
The reset of the Titan space exhibits is ongoing, cleaning the enclosed exhibit cases has been done and we will start installing the new Cold War exhibit soon. The race to the moon and the Cold War are inextricably linked. We hope you will find the new exhibit to be informative as we weave the two topics together.
We also have a new exhibit on the floor in Hercules, a B-17 Top Turret that highlights the work of the B-17 Alliance rebuilding the B-17 “Lacy Lady” in Salem. If you haven’t visited the Lacy Lady at the Salem airport it is worth going and seeing that project unfold. Bringing a B-17 back to flying condition is a heavy lift and we are supporting them any way that we can.
You will soon see the Carlton Observatory move from the large glass enclosed room they are currently in over to the curved wall room directly behind the Titan front desk. We are working with them to create a new exhibit called “The Cosmos Experience”. It will be a nifty walk through space itself and should give us all a sense of just how vast and unknown even the galaxy we call home is. Included will be the installation of the permanent cosmosphere that Carlton has received funding for. Once the move is complete, we will begin preparing the glass room for the new “Kelly Johnson and the Amazing Skunk Works Story” exhibit.
Be sure to mark your calendars for the candlelight concert on Saturday, November 28. We have partnered with Fever in Chicago to bring a night of 80’s rock anthems performed on strings. Candlelight concerts are fun and the fact that it will be presented under the tail of the Hercules is an elegant touch you can only see here. Rest assured, the candles are electric! Bonus: this is a fundraiser and all ticket sales directly support the Museum’s Innovation Fund. We hope you will come, bring friends or family who are visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday, and enjoy your time with us in a special new way.
Sincerely,
Scot Laney, CEO
