Come for cake, coffee and memories September 25
The Greenwood Military Aviation Museum (GMAM) proudly celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, marking three decades of preserving and showcasing the rich aviation history of Base Greenwood and its units.
Officially opened May 27, 1995, the museum began as a modest operation in a former civilian grocery store, outdoor furniture store and, lastly, the base’s library, located “on top of the hill” from today’s air park, offering just 1,100 square feet of exhibit space. The original air park was on the wing’s parade ground on the old flight line and totaled only three aircraft: a Lancaster, a Neptune and an Argus.
The vision for a museum was first championed by then-14 Wing Commander Colonel Ken Allen, brought to life by a dedicated team of volunteers, led by Major-General (retired) Ian Patrick. That inaugural year welcomed 587 visitors, a number that grew to 2,000 by 1997 and to over 23,000 in 2014.
As the collection expanded, a larger venue was required and, in 2000, the museum moved into its current 11,000-square-foot location, formerly the food store at the CANEX; following extensive renovations, done mainly by volunteers.
The grand opening was officiated by then-14 Wing Commander Colonel Brian Handley, who now serves as the museum society’s president. That same year, the GMAM was recognized as Nova Scotia’s Best New Tourist Attraction with a budget under $40,000.
In the years that followed, the museum grew, not just in size, but in scope and community involvement:
2001 – the Greenwood Art Association was established
2002 – the Flight Education Program launched (conceived, developed/ designed, implemented and managed by the late Lloyd Graham) to augment the Theory of Flight portion of local school’s Grade 6 curriculum; to date, more than 10,000 students have gone through the program!
2003 – the Argus Tactical Procedures Trainer (TCPT), donated by the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum, was refurbished and installed in the newly-built Ray Parsons Annex (the museum’s first restoration project)
2004 to 2012 – major restoration projects included a 1940s Willys Jeep, Anson, Dakota, Sperwer UAV and Bolingbroke aircraft, culminating in the completion of a museum extension in 2012, adding another 6,000 square feet of display space.
Today, the museum features an impressive air park, displaying 10 historic aircraft types that once flew from Base Greenwood and with its squadrons overseas during the Second World War, with two additional aircraft housed inside the museum extension. Currently. there is another aircraft being restored in the workshop, which will be added to the air park in the near future. A Sperwer UAV and thousands of artifacts representing the base’s role from the Second World War to the present day are on display inside the museum.
One of the museum’s most cherished features is its Commemorative Garden, donated to the GMAM by the local chamber of commerce in the aftermath of the Labrador 305 tragedy in 1998, which has grown to include numerous memorial stones honoring crews lost in service. Over 400 individual stones have since been donated by those who served at Greenwood or elsewhere in any allied forces, offering a deeply personal connection to the base’s legacy.
“The Greenwood Military Aviation Museum stands today as a testimony the dedication of our volunteers and the enduring legacy of those who served at this base,” says Colonel (retired) Brian Handley, museum society president.
We invite everyone to join us in celebrating this milestone and to experience the remarkable history preserved within these walls. Visit the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum, the air park, Commemorative Garden and gift shop in person (free admission), visit gmam.ca for photos and articles about restoration efforts, the collection and history; and the museum society, and how to get involved as a volunteer. Follow on Facebook @ Greenwood Military Aviation Museum for day-to-day news, events and interesting happenings.
