From the Curator:
As we plan for the Museum’s 2012 exhibition program, and the completion of our 2011/2012 Curatorial project we are looking for a variety of artifacts to enhance our collections and display materials. Below is a list of items we are interested in. We are equally interested in loans and donations. All potential contributions will be assessed on a case by case basis. To fulfill the Museum’s mission of interpreting the early history of aviation and automobile history, we are primarily interested in items dating pre-1940. I would love to hear from anyone interested in making a possible contribution. We will work with each individual to design a loan or donation criteria that is appropriate for your specific artifact. In addition, please forward this list to those you feel may be interested in contributing.
Please note this is a mostly generalized list, we are interested in items that relate on a broad scale. If you have items that do not specifically relate to the topics listed here, but that relate to the broad mission and subject of the museum I would be also be very interested in hearing about them.
If you are interested in making a contribution please contact the Museum’s curator, Joanna Dowling, at
Thank you for interest and consideration.
Items Sought for Museum Collection or Loan
Pre-1940s bicycle memorabilia and/or artifacts
Pre-1939, photographs/postcards depicting aviation/auto images
WWI related items, both auto and aviation, our display will focus on the introduction of aircraft and automobiles to modern warfare
Pre-1939 items relating to mechanics in automotive and aviation, local or national subject matter
Items relating to the auto/road travel during the Great Depression, i.e. images, newspapers, magazines, artifacts of any scale, clothing, etc
Items relating to pre-1939 auto racing, incl. Indy 500
1940s or earlier racing car
1930s Motor Magazine, loan for reference material, do not have to donate, would prefer issues pre-1950
1930s Motor Sport Magazine, loan for reference material, do not have to donate, would prefer issues pre-1950
Items relating to Chicago’s Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893
Items relating to local auto garages/service stations/car dealerships - Pre-1940s
Items relating to the history of homebuilt aircraft, we are also interested in recent or current homebuilding projects, specifically those incorporating historic airplane designs
Items relating to early local and regional airfields
Items relating to the history and contribution of women to the field of aviation, i.e. pilots, mechanics, builders, flight attendants, etc.
In addition, we accept a wide variety of donations for the museum. This includes monetary donations, books for the library, and artifact donations.
The library accepts books associated with transportation, which includes aviation, cars, boats, and more. Magazines, DVDs, and VHS tapes are also accepted. Please call before you drop off any donations so that we can be prepared to look through the materials and give you a gift sheet to fill out.
Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum gladly accepts artifact donations for our collection. You can donate your artifact as a gift or a loan. A gift is a donation that becomes Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum’s full property. A loan is a donation that continues to belong legally to the donor but may be used for exhibits and displays at the museum’s discretion.
The artifacts we accept must be:
- Related to Transportation History
o This includes anything related to aviation, automobiles, bicycles, tractors, boats, wagons, carriages, and more.
- Pre-1940s
o Our museum focuses on early transportation history, thus we collect artifacts that were made or used before WWII.
- Historically Significant
o Each artifact obviously does not have to be related to the Wright Brothers, but we do ask that the donated artifact is historic and is not merely a copy or reproduction of an historic item.
- In Good Condition
o We will not take items that are in very poor condition, are broken beyond repair, are moldy, or have been/are infested with insects or other vermin
When You Donate:
- Please call at least a day or two before you drop off anything, so we are prepared for your visit and we can preview your item before you bring it.
- We will have you fill out a gift or loan sheet for our records
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The Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum is Building
A Restoration Hangar
and YOU can help with your tax-deductible donation!
Current activity as of 05/05/2012: Provided byFundraising Ideas Center
Ground has been broken! The actual building construction starts June 1, 2012.
The Poplar Grove Aviation Education Association (a 501c3 corporation) and the Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum is joining with Chapter 1414 of Poplar Grove Airport to build a joint hangar on Museum property. Each organization will have one-half of the building as well as sharing restrooms and office space in the center. The design will be compatible with the Springfield Hangar to retain a vintage look, similar to the Picnic Pavilion. This hangar will enable the Museum’s Restoration team to have adequate room to work on a couple of projects at a time AND store a flying aircraft to help promote the Museum and its programs. It will also free up the Springfield Hangar so it may be used for automobile restoration, and give us more desperately needed storage space. We anticipate the PGAEA’s share of the cost to complete the building, doors, utilities and insulation to be $75,000. With that in mind, we are asking for pledges to help make this a reality.
There will be three levels of pledged support: GOLD $1,000 a year for 5 years SILVER $ 500 a year for 5 years BRONZE $ 300 a year for 5 years TRUE BLUE one-time donation of any amount
All Pledge Donors will receive recognition. This is our largest undertaking since the restoration of the Waukesha Hangar, and it will enable the Association to further its goals of education and preservation of history. In order to break ground in the spring of 2012, we need sufficient pledge committments for the $75,000. Additional pledge monies will be used to finish the interior and help with the operation of the facility.
Please let us know if we can count on your support. SEE THE FALL NEWSLETTER for a Pledge form - link on top of the Home Page.
