CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH NAMES NOVEMBER 19 JERRY YAGEN DAY
Virginia Beach, VA (November 15,2024) – The Military Aviation Museum (MAM) will offer free admission on Tuesday, November 19, 9AM-5PM, in celebration of Jerry Yagen Day. Mayor Bobby Dyer and the Virginia Beach City Council declared the day in acknowledgement of the philanthropist’s generosity to the community. The formal resolution will be read in chambers during the Council’s regularly scheduled meeting.
Yagen, who grew up in South Norfolk, made headlines earlier this year when he announced he was leaving his extensive personal collection of aircraft, the land, and vintage buildings to the Museum, alongside a $30 million endowment to keep them operating. This commitment gives museum-goers a rare opportunity to see original WW2 aircraft in flight throughout the year. The gift is valued at over $100M, and is considered one of the largest individual philanthropic gifts in Virginia.
“The Yagen family has always envisioned the Museum as a place for public participation, and not just the preservation of historical artifacts,” says Keegan Chetwynd, Director and CEO of MAM. “We are hoping that this free day will give some folks the opportunity to visit who may not have seen the Museum yet. We want people to come enjoy what the Yagens have brought to our community.”
Visitors to the Museum will receive free post cards, a nod to Yagen’s passion for this mode of communication. Yagen loves postcards, and would routinely send them back to the Museum with notes about his latest adventures or acquisitions from all around the world.
“We appreciate the city council’s decision to recognize Jerry Yagen. His gift has empowered the Museum to look to the fulfilment of community needs, and not just to its own operational needs,” says Dr. Ed George, Chairman of the MAM Board of Directors. “For those of you that share our gratitude for what the Yagens have done, and who can’t attend Jerry Yagen Day at the Museum, we invite you to send your sentiments, in a postcard, to the Museum – where we can pass them along to Jerry!”
The Military Aviation Museum is located at 1341 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23457, and is open daily from 9AM-5PM. For more information visit https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/ or call 757-721-7767.
ABOUT THE MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM A 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of airworthy military aircraft from the first 50-years of flight. Truly a living museum, its aircraft are in restoration at facilities around the world. Besides the main Museum the Virginia Beach complex features additional exhibition spaces, including a mid-1930s Luftwaffe hangar, originally from Cottbus, Germany, which now serves to house the Museum's collection of WWII-vintage German aircraft. Additional structures include the WWI Hangar, and the original control tower from RAF Goxhill built in England in 1942. Visit www.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information or call 757-721-7767
