EVERETT — Closed for three years, the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum at Paine Field will open its doors to the public in time for Memorial Day weekend.
A showcase for the late Paul Allen’s private collection of World War II and Cold War aircraft and vintage military vehicles, the museum reopens Saturday, May 27, under the guidance of a new owner, Walmart heir, Steuart Walton.
Flying Heritage will only be open Saturdays and Sundays until June 14, when it will switch to a Wednesday through Sunday schedule.
Walton purchased the museum last year from Seattle-based Vulcan Inc., the Allen family’s holding company. Allen co-founded Microsoft.
Although the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Walton pledged to keep the facility and its collection at the Snohomish County-owned airport.
“In March of 2020, Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum announced its temporary closure,” Amber Richards, the museum’s director of operations said in a statement Monday. “It’s nothing short of incredible to be opening three years after closure, at a time that we pause in remembrance of those who lost their lives in service to our nation.”
“This collection is truly meaningful to me; as an Air Force Veteran, I walk these hangars with a deep understanding and appreciation of the personal sacrifice these artifacts represent,” Richards said. “It’s an honor to share these stories with the public this Memorial Day weekend.”
After being dormant for eight months, the museum’s Twitter account tweeted last month that Flying Heritage would be “returning soon.”
A few weeks later, the museum put out a call for volunteers, docents and paid workers.
Allen launched the museum in 2004, opening his vintage aircraft collection to the public at an Arlington airfield location. In 2008, it moved to Paine Field in Everett, where it’s housed in three hangars at 3407 109th St. SW.
In a statement on Monday, Adrian Hunt, the museum’s executive director, said the staff has “been working tirelessly to prepare for visitors and to share one of the most amazing collections of wartime history in the world. We’d like to offer a heart-felt thank you to the Everett community, our Flying Heritage team, and our amazing volunteers for their support and dedication in preparation for our Memorial Day weekend opening.”
What you need to know:
• The Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum is located at 3407 109th St. SW in Everett.
• The museum opens Saturday, May 27, and will be open Saturday and Sunday only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 14. After that date, it will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be available on the Flying Heritage website starting May 1. For tickets and reservations, go to flyingheritage.org
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com;
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