Aerornautical museum belongs downtown

By Mark Laurrie

Every day in the Niagara Falls City School District, we ask a simple but important question: how do we prepare our students not just to graduate, but to understand the world they are stepping into? In a city with a deep industrial heritage and a story still being written, that question is not abstract. It is part of the daily reality our students and families experience

That is why the proposal to relocate the Niagara Aerospace Museum to the Hydraulic Canal site is so important. This is not only a cultural or tourism project. It is an investment in the educational and career pathways available to the young people of Niagara Falls.

Western New York has a proud aerospace legacy, but just as important, it still has a living aerospace economy. Companies across the region continue to manufacture aircraft components, advanced materials, electronics, and propulsion systems. Engineering firms, precision manufacturers, and production facilities in Niagara County and throughout Western New York are hiring machinists, technicians, engineers, quality-control specialists, and production workers. These are stable, well-paying careers that do not always require students to leave the region—and in many cases, they do not require a four-year degree.

The challenge is that too many of our students are unaware that these opportunities even exist. They see their city’s history and its potential, but they do not always see how that story connects to high-skill, high-demand careers. A downtown aerospace museum can help make that connection clear and tangible.

A modern aerospace museum would serve as a hands-on STEM learning hub, where students could explore flight, robotics, engineering, and advanced manufacturing through interactive exhibits and real aircraft. More importantly, it would connect those experiences directly to the companies and jobs that still exist in our region today.

When students meet a technician who builds aircraft components, or an engineer working on advanced systems, the idea of a STEM career becomes real. They begin to see that these are not distant or abstract professions—they are jobs held by people in their own community, in companies that are actively growing and looking for talent.

The museum’s proposed summer programming and enrichment opportunities would strengthen that connection. Summer learning loss is a real issue for districts like ours, and hands-on STEM programs can keep students engaged while building practical skills. Imagine middle school students building model rockets, high school students participating in drone or robotics workshops, or career exploration programs that introduce them to local aerospace and manufacturing employers. These experiences can change how students see themselves and their futures.

Just as important, the museum could help create a direct talent pipeline. With partnerships between the museum, local companies, and our schools, students could be introduced to internships, apprenticeships, and technical training opportunities. Instead of seeing aerospace as something that only happens in far-off places, they would understand that these careers are available right here in Western New York.

The Hydraulic Canal site represents a chance to build something that speaks directly to the future of our students. By placing the Niagara Aerospace Museum in the heart of downtown, we would be creating a place where education, history, and career opportunities come together.

As superintendent, my responsibility is to ensure our students are prepared for the world they are entering. This project supports that mission in a tangible way. It would expand STEM learning, create meaningful summer enrichment, and connect our students to the growing aerospace, engineering, and advanced manufacturing jobs that still define this region.

The technologies invented in Niagara Falls changed the world. Now it is our students who will write the next chapter of that story. With the right investments, they can become the engineers, technicians, and innovators who shape what comes next. The Niagara Aerospace Museum at the Hydraulic Canal site would help inspire and prepare them to do just that.