2025 Aviation Museum of New Hampshire Annual Gala
A New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail member, the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, will host its Annual Fundraising Gala on Thursday, October 8 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Manchester Community College.
This year’s theme is historic preservation, with proceeds funding a new exhibit dedicated to longtime museum volunteer Robert “Bob” Fortnam. A WWII aviator and former German prisoner of war, Fortnam shared his firsthand accounts with visitors until his passing in 2017 at age 95.
“It’s easy to see what historic preservation means when you’re talking about an old building,” said Aviation Museum Executive Director Jeff Rapsis. “We hope guests will leave our gala with the understanding that historic preservation extends into the sky. The stories of the pilots who flew planes in World War II could be lost to time, and we are determined not to let that happen.”
The planned exhibit will use video recordings so Fortnam can continue to share his experiences with future visitors.
“He shared his story with countless guests at the Aviation Museum,” Rapsis added. “This exhibit will keep his story alive, and with it, the history of a generation that didn’t have phones or Internet because their lives aren’t documented online. It is up to us to keep this history alive, and Bob’s recordings will do that.”
Featured guest speaker is NH author Howard Mansfield, who will discuss his recently published memoir, ‘I Will Tell No War Stories: What Our Fathers Left Unsaid about World War II.’ The evening will also feature the unveiling of preliminary designs for the Fortnam exhibit, a silent auction with aviation collectibles, plane rides, flight lessons, a raffle, food, and live music.
Jeff Barraclough, President of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, said the Gala reflects a mission shared across every member museum of The Trail.
“Every museum on The Trail is a keeper of stories that would otherwise be lost,” he said. “The Aviation Museum’s work to preserve Bob Fortnam’s story is exactly what The Trail is about — making sure the next generation can still hear these voices, even when the storytellers themselves are gone.”
Tickets are $100 per person, with a table for eight $650 or two tables for $1,200. Aviation Museum volunteers can attend for $75 per ticket. Tickets are available by calling (603) 669-4877 or HERE.
The New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail connects the public with culturally rich heritage institutions across the Seacoast, Lakes Region, White Mountains, Dartmouth-Sunapee Region, and Merrimack Valley.