USS Midway Conquers Critics

[Eagle3]

Army of volunteers keeps Midway museum afloat through successful first year

By Leslie Wolf Branscomb
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

October 5, 2005

Before the aircraft carrier Midway was towed to its current spot alongside Harbor Drive, there were many objections: It will block the view, it will overshadow the waterfront, it will take up a lot of space. In fact, the Midway does all those things.

And people love it.

In its first year of operations as an aircraft carrier museum, the Midway has far exceeded even its most optimistic goals. More than 880,000 visitors have come on board – twice what was projected – making it the most popular of the 110 historic Navy ship museums in the continental United States.

(Only the Arizona in Hawaii, which sank during the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor, has more visitors.)

Complete Story & Photos (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20051005-9999-7m5midway.html)

[WSS]

:thumbsup: Great news. Much success for the USS Midway in the coming years.

[Trigger]

I thought that someone posted awhile back that Midway had passed the million visitors mark. If my memory is wrong, 880,00 ain't bad either........
Trigger V-2 1962-66

[Billntwrk]

No Sir, your memory does not fail you. The posted story refers to general fact's, figures. Midway passed a Million Visitors a couple of months ago. Buzz has the latest info.

[navybob]

880,000 was the attendance at the end of one year (June 6th). The one-millionth visitor showed up early in July. Right now the daily numbers are about 10% below last year's figures. This is less of a decrease than other new venues in San Diego usually have after their first year. If this holds up, we'll still have almost 800,000 the second year. Not bad considering that the first year estimates, before we opened, was about 400,000. Cha-ching!!!