The Women in Aviation display at the Kelch Aviation Museum utilizes multiple medias to present forgotten stories, including over 24 mini-documentary chapters, in which visitors can use an interactive touchscreen to choose what to explore. Peggy Weiman Photo
(L/R) Kelch Aviation Museum Chief Curator Hannah Shickles, Executive Director Pat Weeden, and Creative Director Ami Eckard-Lee. Dave Weiman Photo
The Kelch Aviation Museum in Brodhead, Wisconsin, unveiled a new “Women in Aviation” display, at ceremonies March 1, 2026, honoring four pioneer women who broke barriers, defied expectations, and boldly claimed their place in history during the early 20th century. Carefully compiled over months of intense research, interviews, and curation, this exhibit is a permanent feature of the museum’s “Wagner Welcome Atrium.”
Chief museum curator, Hannah Shickles, utilized multiple medias to present these forgotten stories in compelling, interactive ways, including creating over 24 mini-documentary chapters, in which visitors can use an interactive touchscreen to choose what to explore.
Shickles chose to focus on four specific women, each illustrating something different and unique in women’s aviation history: Harriet Quimby set the stage for all women pilots by becoming the first licensed female pilot in the United States in 1912, publicly proving women belonged in the sky. Helen Richey blazed her way through every professional arena in aviation — including commercial airline flying, record-setting, racing, and military flying – all before 1947. Willa Brown’s accomplishments as a pilot, mechanic, and leader in military and aviation organizations as a black woman stood out long before the civil rights movement. And local legend Jeanne Scholes, still a fixture at the Brodhead airport at age 97, became one of the first women in the area to fly, casually breaking barriers and inspiring others, starting at age 16.
The Kelch Aviation Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Learn more at www.kelchmuseum.org.
For additional information, see the article in the March 2026 issue of “Midwest Flyer Monthly” by the museum’s creative director, Ami Eckard-Lee.Artist Emily Willey of Omro, Wisconsin, with her art as displayed in the Kelch Aviation Museum’s Wagner Welcome Atrium. Willey comes from a long list of pilots and aircraft restorers in her family. Her father, Mark Lokken, restored his personal aircraft. Her grandfather, Otis Lokken, also restored aircraft, as do her uncles, Myron and Marvin Lokken: www.willeyart.com Replacing Emily Willey’s exhibit will be quilt art by Misty Cole called “The Sky’s The Limit,” which will feature original quilt pieces inspired by Golden Age of Aviation aircraft. The exhibit will include pieces previously exhibited at the College Park Air Museum in Maryland, and several new pieces based on aircraft in the Kelch Aviation Museum collection. The exhibit opens April 12th with a reception that will be open to the public. The original pieces of the quilt art are for sale, as are prints and stickers. Misty Cole will be returning to the museum to teach several textile workshops throughout the season as well. “We are excited to bring a new medium to the museum’s gallery and showcase Misty’s incredible talent,” says Kelch Aviation Museum Executive Director, Pat Weeden. Dave Weiman PhotoA featured guest of the event was Emma Crawford of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum in Red Hook, New York, who was zoomed in and introduced to the crowd of 200 invited guests via computer on a big screen monitor. Crawford described her career at the museum, which includes flying and restoring vintage aircraft (https://oldrhinebeck.org/). Emma Crawford is pictured here with the 1929 New Standard Biplane she gives rides in at the museum. Photo Courtesy of Emma Crawford
