Our Story Begins...

The decision to build a balloon museum in Statesville, North Carolina resulted from a meeting between balloonist Bill Meadows and Don Cline in 2014.

Over the last five years the project has progressed through a number of stages including planning, museum design, land purchase, pre-construction arrangements and finally into the fund-raising stage.

Current plans call for construction to start in 2021 and depending on the construction time a grand opening late 2022.

Property Layout
Museum Close-Up
Floor Plans & More
Carolina Balloon Museum
The Property

The property was selected after an extensive study of all the interstate intersections within 5 miles of Statesville, NC. The property was purchased in two parcels totaling 3.62 acres over a three year period. Located immediately adjacent to Interstate 40 just 1 mile from the intersection of I-40 and I-77 with easy access from Exit 154.

The museum will be visible for 1,000 feet in either direction from I-40. The old saying "Location, Location, Location" really does apply here. We're hoping for many, many visitors!

Property Plan
Museum Close-Up

This drawing shows the museum and the area immediately around the museum.

It features a main entrance designed for easy loading and unloading of buses, with two shown to scale. A canopy area protects the vehicles and a second lane allows vehicles to pass by any loading or unloading vehicles.

Entering the museum will be a pleasure in any weather, no matter the size of the group!

Museum Close-Up
Click image for full size version
First Floor
Main Exhibits

From local to international, the large museum floor is filled with balloon aviation history. You'll walk through displays that tell stories and show artifacts from over 230 years of ballooning.

Accounts of great adventures and pioneers of the skies are waiting to greet you. Advances in materials, technology, and technique, along with those who made them possible are here to inspire.

Who knows which visitors might be the next to soar to new heights and

central balloon
More Attractions

Take in some of the adventure of ballooning in one of the theaters. You can experience a balloon flight from inflation, through flight, and to the landing. Short features will answer questions like, "How do you steer a balloon?" or, find are never certain where they're final landing place will be or what new friends will be made there.

You can also drop by the snack and break area to reflect on your journey so far.

And, don't forget the gift shop!

central balloon
central balloon