Empire State Aerosciences Museum

What Empire State Aerosciences Museum does

Empire State Aerosciences Museum (ESAM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit air and space museum founded in 1984 by four aviation enthusiasts — Carl Battaglia, Ernie Tetrault, James Delmonaco, and Steven Israel — and located at 250 Rudy Chase Drive in Glenville, NY, on the western perimeter of Schenectady County Airport, occupying the former General Electric Flight Test Center site (operated 1946-1964). ESAM interprets aviation history, with an emphasis on New York State, through more than 20 restored military aircraft in its Agneta Air Park (including an F-14 Tomcat, F-5 Tiger, A-6 Intruder, three Soviet MiG fighters, UH-1 Huey, and a 2024-acquired F-15 Eagle), two galleries of interactive exhibits, the Simulated Reality Vehicle (SRV) ride, and the Jansz Vander Veer Research Center — recognized as New York State's largest aviation library, holding over 10,000 books, 5,000+ photographs, and 6,000+ archival documents.

ESAM generates revenue through a diversified stream mix: per-visitor admissions ($9-15), annual memberships with nine price tiers ranging from $35 Senior/Student to $1,000 Friends of ESAM/Business Benefactor, tax-deductible donations, on-site and online gift shop sales, fee-based field trips and celebration party packages ($10-15 per child), summer camps and outreach programs, the Adopt-an-Airplane sponsorship program, and Commemorative Brick sales tied to an Enhancement Fund. The customer base is broadly consumer-facing, encompassing families, K-12 schools and youth groups, aviation enthusiasts and historians, and celebration-event hosts, with go-to-market executed through an established volunteer network, direct on-site visitation, group tour reservations, social media channels, the quarterly AeroNotes newsletter, and earned media including a BBC Travel feature.

The museum's operating infrastructure spans nine buildings on the airport perimeter, supported by a core staff of 1-10 employees augmented by a large volunteer pipeline (across restoration, exhibits, education, research, grants, and office functions) and governed by a Board of Trustees led by President Dan Wilson and Chief Operating Officer Joyce M. Newkirk. Notable recent activity includes the August 2024 F-15 Eagle acquisition, a December 2023 Gulfstream 3 acquisition, the long-planned Concorde/Harrier/C-130 exhibit expansion designed by Re4orm Architects, and a succession at the presidency from Kevin Millington to Dan Wilson in 2024.

Name

Empire State Aerosciences Museum

Legal name

Empire State Aerosciences Museum

Website

https://esam.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Empire State Aerosciences Museum (ESAM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit air and space museum in Glenville, NY, preserving and exhibiting over 20 restored military aircraft and New York State's largest aviation library for families, schools, and aviation enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

Keywords

• Aviation museum exhibits
• Aerospace education programs
• Historical aircraft preservation
• STEM aviation education
• Flight simulation experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Schenectady

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Visitors pay admission fees to enter the museum and access exhibits, aircraft displays, and attractions including the Simulated Reality Vehicle (SRV) ride.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual memberships provide free admission, quarterly AeroNotes newsletter, invitations to events, and discounts. Multiple tiers from $35 to $1,000 cater to individuals, families, seniors, students, and businesses.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations support museum operations, acquisitions, and preservation efforts. Options include Amazon Smile, matching gifts, planned gifts, and tangible property donations.
4. Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop sells aviation-themed merchandise, books, models, and memorabilia.
5. Education Programs and Celebrations: Fees for field trips, birthday parties, group tours, summer camps, and outreach programs at schools and community events.
6. Commemorative Brick Sales: Engraved bricks purchased for the Commemorative Walk and Flight Plaza, establishing the Enhancement Fund for museum expansion.
7. Adopt-an-Airplane Program: Program allowing individuals, businesses, or groups to support preservation of specific aircraft in the museum's collection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Empire State Aerosciences Museum is a cultural and educational institution that preserves, restores, and exhibits historic aircraft and aviation artifacts while delivering interpretive exhibits, educational programs, and public engagement activities centered on the history and science of flight. The museum operates an outdoor air park, indoor interpretive exhibits, a research library, and immersive ride experiences, and runs K-12 field trips, summer camps, and outreach for school and community audiences.

Product overview

The Empire State Aerosciences Museum is a cultural institution offering a unified portfolio of aviation-focused visitor experiences, educational programs, and membership services centered around its collection of over 20 restored aircraft in the Agneta Air Park and two galleries of interpretive exhibits. The core visitor offering includes self-guided and docent-led tours of the Air Park and galleries, highlighted by the Simulated Reality Vehicle (SRV) simulated flight experience. The museum's educational arm delivers field trip programs, STEM summer aviation camps, young aviator series, and outreach programs to schools and community organizations. The Jansz Vander Veer Research Center/Library constitutes New York State's largest aviation library with extensive archival collections. Supporting offerings include membership programs (with tiered pricing from $35 to $1,000), adoption and commemorative brick sponsorship programs, a gift shop, celebration party rentals, and recurring events such as monthly fly-in breakfasts and seasonal festivals. The museum also maintains an oral history collection, Legends of the Skies video series, and AeroNotes quarterly newsletter for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Museum Admission Daily public admission to the indoor interpretive exhibits and outdoor Agneta Air Park for individuals, families, and walk-in visitors.
• Guided Group Tours Docent-led tours of the museum's aircraft collection and exhibits arranged for visiting groups, clubs, and organizations.
• School Field Trip Programs Curriculum-aligned K-12 field trip programming with interactive STEM aviation activities for school classes and youth groups.
• SRV (Simulated Reality Vehicle) Ride Simulated flight experience ride available to visitors as an add-on attraction inside the museum.
• STEM Aviation Summer Camp Multi-day summer camp program for children focused on aviation and aerospace STEM learning.
• Young Aviators Summer Series Multi-week youth aviation series held during summer break for elementary-age children.
• Annual Museum Membership Yearly membership program for individuals and families providing repeat admission benefits and museum support.
• Celebration Parties / Private Events Rental of museum space for birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and other private celebration events.
• Fly-In Breakfast Events Public pancake-breakfast aviation events hosted at the museum with visiting aircraft and community attendance.
• Outreach Programs Off-site educational presentations delivered by museum staff to schools, scouts, and community groups.
• Adopt-an-Airplane Program Symbolic sponsorship program where donors contribute toward the preservation and restoration of specific museum aircraft.
• Commemorative Brick Program Donor recognition program selling personalized engraved bricks installed on museum grounds.
• Museum Gift Shop On-site retail store selling aviation-themed merchandise, apparel, models, books, and souvenirs.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum: McMinnville, Oregon-based aviation museum featuring the Spruce Goose and extensive aircraft collection. Comparable niche aviation museum with educational programming, IMAX theater, and waterpark-style visitor amenities.
• Museum of Flight: Seattle-based aviation and space museum with one of the largest air and space collections in the US. Comparable as a major standalone aviation museum with restored aircraft, educational programs, and a research library.
• Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum: Denver-based aviation museum housed in a historic Lowry Air Force Base hangar, featuring restored aircraft and STEM education. Comparable mid-size museum in repurposed military aviation infrastructure.
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: New York City-based museum featuring aircraft, the Space Shuttle Enterprise, and military exhibits. Comparable as a Northeast aviation museum with educational programming, simulator experiences, and a similar visitor mix of families and school groups.
• National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian): The Smithsonian's flagship aviation and space museum in Washington, D.C. Directly comparable as a major aviation museum with extensive aircraft collection, educational programs, and research library, though operating at a much larger national scale.
• Cradle of Aviation Museum: Long Island, NY-based aerospace museum with similar mid-size scale, focus on New York aerospace heritage (including Grumman and Lunar Module history), STEM education programs, and IMAX-style theater experiences.
• Pima Air & Space Museum: Tucson, Arizona-based aviation museum with one of the world's largest collections of aircraft, including rare military and civilian aircraft displayed in outdoor air parks. Highly comparable outdoor aircraft display model.
• National Naval Aviation Museum: Pensacola, Florida-based museum featuring over 150 restored aircraft and naval aviation history. Comparable as a major military aviation museum with interactive exhibits, simulators, and educational programs.
• Fantasy of Flight: Polk City, Florida-based aviation attraction combining restored aircraft collection with flight experiences and themed events. Comparable as a privately-run aviation attraction emphasizing visitor experience and pilot engagement.

Regional players

• New England Air Museum: Aviation museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, openly comparable to ESAM due to its regional Northeast footprint, restored military aircraft collection, and similar focus on New England aviation history and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaWM_44-3YXpN88CfFyM0cg
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmpireStateAerosciencesMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/esam_nys/reels
• Xx.com/ESAMofNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-state-aerosciences-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empire State Aerosciences Museum