Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times. Scott Van Cleef works on putting together a drop test model F/A 18E Super Hornet plane. The plane, which will be on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation as part of its new gallery, "Wings Over Virginia," was donated by Langley Air Force Base.

Any thoughts on the Virgina Museum of Transportation’s progress? Feel free to share them in the comments.

The Virginia Museum of Transportation steps into the future Saturday with the opening of its new aviation gallery.

Though it might be more accurate to say that the museum has finally caught up to the present.

“We’re going from the 18th to the 21st century just like that,” quipped Fran Ferguson, the museum’s director of development.

The renovated gallery is the culmination of a comeback that began six years ago, when a storm tore the roof off the building over the previous aviation exhibit, which then was basically just a collection of artifacts that made no effort to provide any larger context.

The new gallery, “Wings Over Virginia,” focuses on the national and regional history of flight and features hands-on activities and computer touch screens.

Jeff Austin, owner of Jeff Austin General Contractors, caulks the windows of a display case at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Jeff Austin, owner of Jeff Austin General Contractors, caulks the windows of a display case at the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

It’s a concrete example of how the museum has stabilized financially and responded to feedback since 2006.

Executive director Bev Fitzpatrick said the gallery opening marks the staff’s first opportunity “to show an inkling of where we want go.”

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