James Rogers McConnell AIR Museum

Opened in September 2023, the Carthage Aviation Museum is the only one devoted exclusively to flying and flight history in Moore County. Founded by lifelong aviator and enthusiast, Roland Gilliam, the museum is a treasure trove of aviation artifacts, model airplanes and real airplanes spanning decades of flight history. The museum is located a quarter mile away from the famous Pik n Pig restaurant which is located at Gilliam – McConnell Airfield, also owned by Gilliam. The museum is a collection of aviation history collected by Gilliam across his lifetime. One of the planes he showcases in the hanger portion of the museum was used in the movie “Aviator.” The star of the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio sat in the plane during the filming. You'll also learn about Carthage’s James Rogers McConnell, a famous World War I pilot whose mural is depicted in downtown Carthage, and the museum’s namesake.