WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — The National Museum of the United States Air Force was recently selected by the U.S. Air Force History and Museums Program as the recipient of the 2017 Air Force Heritage Award for the “Fourth Building Gallery Project.”

The award recognizes outstanding achievements by Air Force History and Museums personnel that foster a better understanding and appreciation of the Air Force, its history and accomplishments.

The $40.8 million, 224,000 square foot fourth building, which was privately financed by the Air Force Museum Foundation, opened in June 2016. It houses four galleries – Presidential, Research and Development, Space and Global Reach, along with three science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Learning Nodes.

Included among the stories found inside the fourth building are the VC-137C Air Force One (SAM 26000), which was used by eight presidents – Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton; the only remaining XB-70 Valkyrie; the C-141C Hanoi Taxi, which airlifted the first American prisoners of war out of North Vietnam in February 1973; the Space Shuttle Exhibit featuring NASA’s first Crew Compartment Trainer; and a massive Titan IVB space launch vehicle that weighs 96 tons.

Museum Director, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson said receiving the 2017 Air Force Heritage Award for the fourth building is a significant honor for the museum.

“We take great pride in telling the Air Force story to a global audience and inspiring our youth toward an Air Force or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) career, and this award is a noteworthy recognition of those efforts,” said Hudson. “The galleries in the fourth building provide visitors with the unique opportunity to follow in the footsteps of presidents, astronauts, test pilots, test engineers, and those who flew and supported Global Reach missions.”

More information about the fourth building galleries is available at: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Expansion.aspx.