The 390th Memorial Museum Foundation

SEE SCHEDULE O.OUR MISSION IS TO HONOR AND MEMORIALIZE THOSE VETERANS WHO PROVIDED GROUND SUPPORT AND FLEW THE B-17 IN THE 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP OF THE 8TH AIR FORCE DURING WWII, TO SERVE AS A WINDOW ON THE AIR WAR OVER EUROPE BY THE 390TH AND RELATED BOMB GROUPS IN THAT CONFLICT, AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC OF THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM.

SEE SCHEDULE O.THE 390TH MEMORIAL MUSEUM CARES FOR AND MAKES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC A RICH COLLECTION OF ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS AND NEWS CLIPPINGS, AS WELL AS ARTIFACTS FROM WORLD WAR II. THE LARGEST ARTIFACT IS A FLIGHT-WORTHY B-17 BOMBER THAT WAS ASSEMBLED IN 1945. THESE MATERIALS AND ARTIFACTS, INCORPORATED INTO A NUMBER OF EXHIBITS, DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H), WHICH WAS AN ELEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES 8TH AIR FORCE. THE 390TH BOMB GROUP WAS STATIONED IN ENGLAND FROM 1943 TO 1945 AND FLEW 301 COMBAT MISSIONS AGAINST THE THIRD REICH. DURING 2023, AT LEAST 118,000 VISITORS ENJOYED TOURING THE MUSEUM, INTERACTING WITH VOLUNTEER DOCENTS, AND VIEWING THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE B-17 AIRCRAFT. IN 2022, THE MUSEUM ADOPTED THE PRACTICE OF PRECISELY MEASURING ATTENDANCE, RATHER THAN ESTIMATING ATTENDANCE BASED ON PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM'S REPORTED ATTENDANCE. OUR WEBSITE, LOCATED AT WWW.390TH.ORG, PROVIDES THE MEANS FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE GLOBE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MUSEUM AND THE HISTORY OF THE 390TH BOMB GROUP. MANY OF OUR ARTIFACTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND DOCUMENTS ARE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. SEVERAL VIDEO PRODUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, PRIMARILY YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK. ABOUT FIFTY FOUR VOLUNTEER DOCENTS ENABLED THE MUSEUM TO BE OPEN TO VISITORS 363 DAYS DURING 2023, AND PROVIDE AN ENRICHING, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. TWO MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS SERVED IN THE 8TH AIR FORCE DURING THE WAR AND PROVIDE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HIGH ALTITUDE COMBAT OUT OF ENGLAND WAS REALLY LIKE.DURING 2023, THE MUSEUM MADE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS, MADE MULTIPLE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AND STARTED A PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE MUSEUM ENVIRONMENT BY ADDING A NEW MEMBRANE ROOF OVER THE LOBBY AREA. WORK TO FURTHER DOCUMENT AND CATALOG OUR EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS CONTINUED WHILE A NUMBER OF NEW DONATIONS OF HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS WERE ACQUIRED. SEVERAL NEW EXHIBITS WERE DEVELOPED AND PLACED ON DISPLAY. A VERY LARGE NEW MURAL WAS PAINTED BY A BOARD MEMBER AND INSTALLED IN THE LOBBY. THE MUSEUM COLLABORATED FOR A SECOND YEAR WITH NEARBY PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM TO HOLD A SPECIAL NIGHTTIME HALLOWEEN OPEN HOUSE AND TRICK OR TREAT EVENT FOR FAMILIES ACROSS TUCSON. OVER 1,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THIS 3-HOUR SPECIAL PROGRAM. ALL EVENTS, TOURS, AND ADMISSIONS ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE.