New museum curator takes over at Barksdale AFB

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jovante Johnson
  • 2nd Bomb Wing

Barksdale Air Force Base has a museum rooted in honor and valor dating back to 1975 and continues to add to its collection to this day. A huge part of the museum’s collection begins with the museum curator.


The museum curator position is not a position that is replaced often as it holds much responsibility and is a main reason for the success or failure of the museum. The curator is in charge of what is put on display, keeping track of the stock the museum receives, the airpark, and museum tours.
Elizabeth Jan Micaletti is the newly appointed museum curator at the Barksdale Global Power Museum and is looking forward to making a few changes to the museum and adding to its already amazing legacy.


“A big addition I plan on adding to this already amazing museum is a map room. We have so many maps to display, even some dating back to World War II, that I feel a place to display them all will be a great addition to the museum,” said Micaletti. “Also, with a B-1 Lancer being decommissioned most recently, we are looking to add that to our airpark in late September.”


At bases throughout the Air Force, airparks are used to display Air force aircraft and commemorate significant events. The Barksdale Global Power Museum continues that long and honored tradition.


“Our airpark has a display of 20 aircraft at the moment and 21 tall memorials honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, not to mention a brick walking path with each brick dedicated to someone,” said Micaletti. “We encourage members and their families to come out and get engulfed in our museum and relive some historic moments in history.”


The goals of the museum is to generate interest, awareness, and education of the history and insignia of the 2nd Bomb Wing and the bomber to generations of all ages, help preserve the aircraft and memorabilia on display in the museum and on the base grounds, and reach out and seek growth for membership of the Barksdale Global Power Museum at Barksdale in all the communities of Northwest Louisiana; and ensuring that the History of the aerial bombardment will forever be alive and well cared for at the Barksdale Global Power Museum.


Micaletti and her co-workers are excited to show as many people as they can how much there is to learn in their museum and give people a look at some pieces of history they can’t see anywhere else.


“From the pieces inside the museum to the aircraft and memorials in the airpark, the Barksdale Global Power Museum has so much to offer,” said Master Sgt. Rick Hale, 2nd Bomb Wing global power maintenance assistant. “There is over 4000 pieces of inventory always in rotation and with our plans to bring some things in to liven up the museum and its surrounding area such as a barbeque pit, there is even more reason for people to come see our museum and get a part of history that will always be with them.”