Where Hickory takes flight—and every artifact tells a story.
B & B Media Solutions proposes a four-phase, mission-aligned approach—starting with a hero video that markets the museum and builds anticipation, then expanding into exhibit story videos, guided audio tours, and an immersive VR flight experience.
A mission-aligned way to modernize interpretation—without changing the heart of the museum.
The Hickory Aviation Museum already has the most important ingredient: real artifacts and real stories. Our proposal adds lightweight, grant-friendly technology layers that help visitors understand what theyre seeing, why it matters, and how it connects to the community.
Short, story-first media helps visitors connect names, artifacts, and historical context—supporting educational outcomes for all ages.
Audio tours and captions support different learning styles and can better serve visitors with visual impairments or reading fatigue.
Interactive content encourages guests to stay longer at exhibits, return for new stories, and bring friends and family.
Highlighting local pilots and aviation heritage creates pride, intergenerational connection, and stronger donor/member affinity.
The museum emphasizes aviation education and opportunities for the next generation—our media layers reinforce that goal.
The museum supports self-guided touring, groups, and field trips. Audio + video provides consistent interpretation at scale.
Engaging storytelling helps volunteers, members, and donors feel the impact of their support—and invites new supporters in.
Start with the story. Build momentum. Then scale.
Phase 1 launches with a hero video that markets the museum and drives anticipation for what's coming. Each subsequent phase builds on that momentum—expanding educational value, accessibility, and visitor engagement in a way that's realistic for nonprofit budgeting and grant funding.
Create a cinematic hero video that highlights everything the museum offers today and teases what’s coming next. This becomes the museum’s primary marketing tool to drive excitement, attract visitors, and build momentum for future phases.
- Scriptwriting, storyboarding, and creative direction
- Cinema-grade filming on location at the museum
- Cover the aircraft collection, historical exhibits, and pilot stories
- Highlight the museum’s educational mission, groups, field trips, and community impact
- Include a “coming soon” tease of interactive exhibits, audio tours, and VR experiences
- Professional voiceover narration and sound design
- Color grading and post-production to broadcast standards
- Multiple export formats (website, social media, in-museum display, donor presentations)
- A high-impact, multi-use marketing asset from day one
- Drives anticipation and excitement for Phases 2–4
- Ready for website homepage, social media, donor decks, and grant applications
- Demonstrates B&B’s production quality before larger commitments
- Plays in the museum lobby to welcome and orient visitors
The hero video is the catalyst for everything that follows. It gives the museum a professional marketing tool immediately, builds public excitement for upcoming interactive experiences, and creates a compelling visual asset for grant applications and donor conversations that fund Phases 2–4.
Bring individual displays to life with short, dramatized stories that deepen visitor understanding at key exhibits.
- Create 2–3 cinematic video pieces (2–5 minutes each)
- Scriptwriting + dialogue + voiceover (museum review checkpoints)
- Historically respectful dramatization (tone set by museum)
- Deliver files optimized for in-museum playback
- Install viewing method: TVs above displays OR a dedicated kiosk
- Stronger visitor understanding at key exhibits
- A repeatable format that can scale across the museum
- Clear content assets for marketing, membership, and donor outreach
Make every exhibit feel guided—accessible, consistent, and scalable for all visitor types.
- Tour script + exhibit-by-exhibit narration
- Optional themed paths (WWI, WWII, local heroes, aircraft focus)
- Professional audio production + mastering
- Track numbering + simple signage to match exhibits
- Device/kiosk playback setup planning
- Improved accessibility and learning for diverse visitors
- A strong field trip tool for educators and group leaders
- A foundation for multilingual or expanded versions later
Create an immersive experience that increases dwell time, repeat visits, and positions the museum as an innovator.
- Room concept + visitor flow planning (safe throughput)
- WWI / WWII themed flight experience selection and setup coordination
- Onboarding prompts + safety/usage content
- Staff/volunteer training materials
- Ongoing maintenance plan for reliability
- A memorable, shareable anchor experience
- New program opportunities (youth nights, STEM events, memberships)
- A strong grant narrative around education + innovation
Visual concepts showing the proposed multi-station VR flight simulator setup inside the museum hangar.
These are estimated hardware costs only. B&B setup, installation, configuration, and training fees are separate.
| Equipment | Unit Price | Qty | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| VR Headset & Strap | $700 | ×4 | $2,800 |
| WW1 Flight Simulator Software | $600 | ×4 | $2,400 |
| Yoke & Throttle Controller | $400 | ×4 | $1,600 |
| VR Tech Total | $6,800 | ||
4-station setup supports multiple simultaneous visitors. Equipment estimates are based on current market pricing and may vary. B&B Media Solutions' fees for room design, installation, configuration, content setup, staff training, and ongoing maintenance are quoted separately.
Clear ranges for planning, grants, and phased fundraising.
The numbers below are rough planning estimates to support budgeting and grant applications. Final pricing is confirmed after a scoping call and an on-site walkthrough.
These ranges reflect production, implementation, and installation services. They do not include museum-purchased hardware.
| Phase | Deliverable | Estimated Range |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Hero Video (flagship marketing asset) Brand-story style production; final scope depends on length, voiceover, and filming complexity. | $4,000 – $6,500 |
| Phase 2 | 3 Exhibit Story Videos (2–5 min each) Includes scripting, filming, editing, sound design, and two revision rounds. | $9,500 – $10,000 |
| Phase 3 | Guided Audio Tours (museum-wide) Exhibit-by-exhibit scripting, narration recording, audio production/mastering, and track numbering. | $7,000 – $7,500 |
| Phase 4 | VR Setup & Installation (B&B service fees) Service fees only. Equipment costs are separate (see VR tech estimate below). | $7,500 – $8,000 |
| Add-on | TV Mounting, Wiring & AV Installation Wall-mount 4 TVs, run cabling, configure media players for exhibit video loops, set up HDMI splitters for VR mirroring. | $1,500 – $2,000 |
Total B&B Service Fees (all phases + installation) Production, editing, installation, TV mounting, wiring, training, and maintenance | $29,500 – $34,000 | |
Hardware costs only. B&B setup, installation, configuration, and training fees are listed above in Phase 4.
| Equipment | Unit Price | Qty | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| VR Headset & Strap | $700 | ×4 | $2,800 |
| WW1 Flight Simulator Software | $600 | ×4 | $2,400 |
| Yoke & Throttle Controller | $400 | ×4 | $1,600 |
4 wall-mounted 55" TVs: 2 dedicated to exhibit story video playback, 2 mirroring the VR flight simulator experience for spectators.
| Equipment | Unit Price | Qty | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55" Commercial Display TV | $400 | ×4 | $1,600 |
| Commercial TV Wall Mount (tilt) | $80 | ×4 | $320 |
| Digital Media Player (exhibit video playback) | $150 | ×2 | $300 |
| HDMI Splitter / VR Mirror Adapter | $75 | ×2 | $150 |
| HDMI Cables + Cable Management Hardware | — | — | $130 |
Mounted above key displays. Digital media players loop exhibit story videos on repeat — no staff interaction needed.
Mounted in the VR room. HDMI splitters mirror the live VR headset feed so spectators can watch the flight in real time.
Each phase can be funded independently — through grants, donations, or operating budget. The museum is never committed to all four phases at once.
Quarterly commitments receive a 5% discount. Annual or multi-phase commitments receive up to 15% off total service fees.
Built for funders: clear outcomes, measurable value, and long-term scalability.
The goal is not technology for technologys sake. Its to strengthen interpretation, improve accessibility, and create a more engaging learning environment for individuals, families, and groups.
- Story-based interpretation supports comprehension and retention
- Audio tours provide consistent learning across self-guided visits
- Supports field trips with structured, age-appropriate narratives
- Audio + captions support multiple learning styles
- Reduces reliance on dense wall text
- Creates a more welcoming experience for broader audiences
- Highlights local heritage and honors service
- Creates donor/member-ready storytelling assets
- Strengthens volunteer pride and community participation
- Increases dwell time at exhibits
- Encourages repeat visits as new stories are added
- VR experience creates a signature, shareable moment
A simple path to launch Phase 1then build a strong case for grant funding.
We recommend starting with a small, high-impact Phase 1 that produces tangible visitor-facing outcomes quickly. From there, the museum can leverage results to support Phase 2 and Phase 3 funding.