MIDDLE RIVER, MD—The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum is expanding and relocating to a larger space at the former Lockheed Martin facility in Middle River, according to a news release. The museum, currently housed in a 1,200-square-foot space at Martin State Airport’s Hangar 5, will move into the 150,000-square-foot Lockheed Martin Administration building at 2323 Eastern Boulevard.

The museum will also change its name to the Maryland Aerospace Heritage Center. The new location will offer expanded exhibit space, an aviation education school, a gift shop, a food vendor, an event space, a restaurant, and office space. The museum’s collection includes over 98,000 artifacts, many of which are currently in storage due to lack of display space.

The new facility will include a “half of fame for aviation in Maryland,” according to Gus McLeod, Executive Director of GLMMAM. “Maryland has the deepest history of aviation of any state in the union,” he said. “This new facility will represent that.”

The move comes after Lockheed Martin closed its Middle River facility in summer 2023. The Maryland Aviation Administration signed a lease agreement with the museum for the building and 23 acres of property, including 12 acres along Dark Head Cove. The transfer of property from Lockheed Martin to the State of Maryland is expected to be finalized on April 26, with renovations to begin shortly after. The official grand opening of the Maryland Aerospace Heritage Center is not yet scheduled.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via Councilman David Marks