Stafford Air & Space Museum

What Stafford Air & Space Museum does

The Stafford Air & Space Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution located in Weatherford, Oklahoma, operated by the City of Weatherford and named in honor of NASA astronaut Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford, a Weatherford native who piloted Gemini VI-A, commanded Apollo 10, and led the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The museum encompasses 75,000 square feet of exhibit space — grown through six expansions since the late 1970s — housing one of the largest aerospace artifact collections in the central United States, including flown spacecraft, the only museum display of test-fired engines from both the U.S. Saturn V and Soviet N-1 rockets, and a full-scale Apollo 11 Lunar Module replica. It has been a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2011.

The museum generates revenue across five streams: individual and group admissions ($7-$14 per visitor), tiered annual memberships ($45-$5,000, with MACH-level tiers bundling Smithsonian reciprocal benefits), corporate sponsorships (Bronze through Platinum tiers at $500-$5,000), donations (including planned giving and monthly giving), gift shop retail, and event venue rentals (Explorers Room and Event Center, up to 160 guests). Distribution channels include walk-in visits, pre-booked group and school tours, event rentals, and partnerships with Harvest Hosts (RV overnight stays) and Smithsonian (reciprocal membership). The institution also operates the Stafford Scholars program with Southwestern Oklahoma State University, the Fueling the Future Grant reimbursing school transportation costs up to $250, and the adjacent Shooting Star Park aerospace-themed playground.

The museum serves individual visitors and families, K-12 school groups across Oklahoma, aviation and space enthusiasts (national and international), RV travelers via Harvest Hosts, active-duty military through the Blue Star Museum program, and corporate/private event clients. Operationally, it runs with a lean paid staff of seven supported by a 13-member Board of Directors and a volunteer corps, and it is open 360 days per year at its I-40/Historic Route 66 location.

Name

Stafford Air & Space Museum

Legal name

Stafford Air & Space Museum

Website

https://staffordmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Stafford Air & Space Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma, operating 75,000 sq ft of aerospace exhibits honoring astronaut Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford, serving families, K-12 schools, RV travelers, and event clients across all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air and Space Museum / Cultural Heritage Attraction

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Air and space museum
• Aerospace artifact exhibits
• STEM education field trips
• Museum venue rentals
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Weatherford

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Revenue from individual and group admission tickets. Standard admission ranges from $8-$14 per person with free admission for members, children 5 and under, and active military.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $45 (Basic Individual) to $1,000 (Mach 4 Family) and $5,000 (Corporate Platinum). Higher-tier memberships include Smithsonian Affiliate benefits.
3. Donations & Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions to 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Accepts one-time donations, monthly giving, planned giving, bequests, and tribute gifts.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnership program with Bronze ($500), Silver ($1,000), Gold ($2,500), and Platinum ($5,000) tiers. Includes employee passes, Explorers Room rentals, and member board recognition.
5. Gift Shop Sales: Retail merchandise sales through the museum gift shop located near the exit.
6. Facility Rentals: Rental of Explorers Room and Event Center for private events, corporate gatherings, and weddings. Includes tables, chairs, optional tablecloths, kitchen facilities, and complimentary museum admission for guests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Stafford Air & Space Museum is a 75,000 sq. ft. nonprofit air and space museum that preserves and exhibits historic aircraft, flown spacecraft, and aerospace artifacts spanning from the Wright Brothers to modern spaceflight. It operates public exhibit galleries, an outdoor aerospace-themed playground (Shooting Star Park), K-12 STEM educational field trips, a tiered membership program, and private event venue rentals, all under the namesake of NASA astronaut Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford.

Product overview

The Stafford Air & Space Museum is a single, unified cultural institution offering one primary product: its comprehensive air and space museum with 75,000 sq. ft. of exhibits. The museum complements its core exhibits with several supporting services including the Shooting Star Park outdoor playground, Group Tours & School Visits educational programs, Museum Membership Programs for visitor engagement, Event Space Rental for venue hire, Harvest Hosts overnight RV stays, the Fueling the Future Grant for school transportation subsidies, and the Stafford Scholars Program for SWOSU student employment and scholarships. All offerings support the museum's mission of preserving aerospace history and inspiring STEM education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air & Space Museum Exhibits 75,000 sq ft museum featuring historic aircraft, flown spacecraft, and aerospace artifacts from the Wright Brothers to modern space exploration, including displays of General Thomas P. Stafford's flown Gemini VI capsule, Apollo-Soyuz artifacts, Saturn V and Soviet N-1 rocket engines, and a full-scale Apollo 11 Lunar Module replica. Open to the public 360 days a year.
• Shooting Star Park An aerospace-themed playground over 30 feet tall with STEAM-based experiences, located adjacent to the museum. Features a rubber surface and shaded picnic areas for families visiting the museum.
• Group Tours & School Visits Guided and self-guided tours for school groups, bus tours, and aviation enthusiasts with hands-on exhibits. Free guided tours on weekdays (minimum 10 guests, two weeks advance notice). Group admission: $12/adult, $7/student. Conference room access for sack lunches included.
• Museum Membership Program Annual membership tiers ranging from Basic Individual ($45) and Basic Family ($65) to Smithsonian-affiliated MACH levels (Mach 1 through Mach 4 Family up to $1,000), plus Corporate Partner tiers (Bronze $500 through Platinum $5,000). Benefits include free admission, 10% gift shop discount, exclusive announcements, and reciprocal Smithsonian membership at MACH level.
• Event Venue Rental Rental of the Explorers Room (up to 160 guests) and Event Center for private gatherings, corporate functions, and weddings. Includes tables, chairs, optional tablecloths, caterer-friendly kitchen facilities, and complimentary museum admission for guests.
• Harvest Hosts Overnight Stays RV travelers can park overnight on the museum's spacious lot and explore the exhibits. Booked through the Harvest Hosts network combining overnight accommodation with museum exploration.
• Fueling the Future Grant Grant program that reimburses schools up to $250 for fuel costs associated with transportation to educational field trips at the museum.
• Stafford Scholars Program Scholarship and work-study program with Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), providing SWOSU students with guaranteed part-time employment at the museum and scholarship money that increases each year of enrollment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Draws thousands of visitors annually from all 50 states and multiple countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, silver, bronze, gold and platinum.

• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Affiliate partnership since 2011. Provides access to Smithsonian collections, resources, and reciprocal membership benefits. MACH Level members receive dual membership in both Stafford Air & Space Museum and Smithsonian Institution network of 200+ affiliate museums.
• Downing Holdings LLCsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level corporate partner
• J. Kenneth Davidson TrustsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level corporate partner
• ABC RealitybronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• Burrows Pro Audio VideobronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• Medallion MintgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level corporate partner
• Narrative StructuregoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level corporate partner
• Sweet Memories Parties and EventsgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level corporate partner
• Energy TransfergoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level corporate partner (energy company)
• ASAP EnergyplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner supporting STEM education programs and museum operations
• Blue Sky BankplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner
• Weatherford Daily NewsplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner (local newspaper)
• DoleseplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner (construction materials company)
• DRGplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner
• NextEra EnergyplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner (energy company)
• Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU)platinumStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner; hosts Stafford Scholars program for SWOSU students with guaranteed part-time employment and scholarship money
• Western Equipment (WE Over Western)platinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner
• KCLI FM (Wright W Radio)platinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level corporate partner (local radio station)
• CharterUpbronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner; charter bus service recommended for group transportation
• Devon EnergybronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner (energy company)
• Gavan Byrd State Farm AgencybronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• Odis Crane & EquipmentbronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• Omega AircraftbronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• Sooner TechnologybronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level corporate partner
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for space artifacts and educational programming related to the U.S. space program
• U.S. Air Force MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for aerospace artifacts and historical preservation of military aviation
• Harvest HostscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHarvest Hosts network allows RV travelers to book overnight stays at the museum. Members gain access to unique travel destinations combining accommodation with museum exploration.
• City of Weatherford, OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is operated by the City of Weatherford, Oklahoma as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: The flagship U.S. air and space museum and the parent affiliate network (Stafford is a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2011). Directly comparable aviation/space exhibit scope but operates at national-capital scale rather than regional.

Direct peers

• U.S. Space & Rocket Center: Huntsville, AL Smithsonian Affiliate space museum featuring Saturn V hardware, hands-on STEM education, and IMAX/dynamic programming — among the closest operational and curatorial analogues to Stafford.
• National Naval Aviation Museum: Pensacola, FL Smithsonian Affiliate aviation museum with a similarly extensive aircraft collection and free admission model; closest direct peer by mission and visitor profile.
• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: Cape Canaveral, FL NASA-themed visitor complex featuring flown spacecraft, bus tours, and immersive experiences — a direct peer in space-exhibit scope, though operating at a significantly larger commercial scale.
• Pima Air & Space Museum: Tucson, AZ aerospace museum with one of the world's largest aircraft collections, bus tour programming, and group/school visit infrastructure comparable to Stafford's educational model.
• Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: Ashland, NE Smithsonian Affiliate featuring strategic-missile and aerospace hardware; closest geographic and mission analogue to Stafford within the central U.S. corridor.
• Cosmosphere: Hutchinson, KS Smithsonian Affiliate featuring flown spacecraft (Liberty Bell 7, Gemini X) and STEM-focused educational programming — direct comparable in collection depth, Smithsonian status, and STEM-tour positioning.
• Museum of Flight: Seattle, WA Smithsonian Affiliate with one of the largest air-and-space collections in the western U.S.; comparable in scale, Smithsonian status, and educational programming breadth.
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: New York City museum aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid featuring flown aircraft, the Space Shuttle Enterprise, and immersive exhibit design; comparable as a Smithsonian-affiliated air-and-space visitor destination with strong group/event programming.

Regional players

• Frontiers of Flight Museum: Dallas, TX regional aviation museum serving the closest major metro feeder market to Stafford; directly comparable as a regional-tier aerospace museum competing for Texas/Oklahoma school and family visitation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/StaffordMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/staffordairandspacemuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/staffordmuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Stafford Air & Space Museum