Volunteer with the Collection
Bring the character. We will teach the work.
A living museum, kept alive by people
The Caldwell Collection is not a private collection behind glass. It is a multigenerational community institution: nearly three dozen aircraft in a 1943 WWII hangar rescued from demolition, rebuilt in 2025, and open to the public, free, Tuesday through Saturday. Keeping the airplanes flying, and telling their stories, takes more hands than any one founder has. That is where you come in.
They are the institution
Volunteers here are not adjacent to the institution. They are the institution. What we ask for is character — the willingness to honor a commitment and to show up — not a résumé. We will teach the work. We will introduce the people. We will find the role that fits, or invite you to define one.
The crew at Mustang Field
Polishing wings, greeting visitors, building exhibits and helping on flying days. A few of the people who keep the hangar running.
Four kinds of people thrive here
Makers, fixers & cleaners
Mechanics, aircraft polishers, and hangar-upkeep hands who like working with the airplanes themselves.
Hosts, teachers & storytellers
Greeters, docents, and café crew who like welcoming visitors and telling the stories behind the airplanes.
Researchers & organizers
Library, provenance, and photo-archive people who enjoy chasing down a story and keeping it straight.
People who love being there
No specific task required. Some of the best volunteers simply want to be around the airplanes and the crew.
Three things — and no skill prerequisites
The character is what matters. The rest we will teach.
When you say you'll be there, be there. The crew counts on each other.
A consistent schedule — weekly or monthly — matters more than long hours.
Enjoy the fellowship, and help carry an institution meant to outlast all of us.
There's a place for you here
We invite people who honor their commitments, enjoy fellowship, and want to help build something larger than themselves — students, community leaders, retirees, and aviation enthusiasts alike.
Students
Earn documented community-service hours and a service record for academic and professional applications.
Retirees & tradespeople
Put a lifetime of skills, or simply a day a week, toward keeping these airplanes flying.
Aviation enthusiasts
Get closer to the airplanes than any rope line allows, alongside people who share the passion.
Community & families
Be part of a free, public institution that belongs to El Reno and to Oklahoma.
What volunteers receive
- Documented community-service hours.
- Museum volunteer apparel — every volunteer gets a free T-shirt.
- Access to the aviation community behind the Collection.
- A documented service record for academic and professional applications.
Two ways to start
Come by Tuesday through Saturday — admission is free — and tell the Greeter you're thinking about volunteering. Or write in below with your name, contact, and what you'd like to do.
The people who show up
Volunteer profiles — the students, retirees, and enthusiasts who keep the hangar doors open — are coming soon. Want to be one of them? Start above.