The Manx Aviation and Military Museum wants to expand and is looking for a sponsor who might be able to help.
For the first time more than 6,000 people have visited it in one year.
The museum opened at the airport in 2000 and visitor numbers have increased steadily every year but the last three years have shown a remarkable rise in numbers.
Museum director Ivor Ramsden said: ‘Our visitor numbers rose by over 10 per cent last year, taking us over the 6,000 mark for the first time.
‘We’re not sure why the numbers are growing. We know we get a lot of return visits from holidaymakers and local people so it seems that they like what we do.
‘We also receive a growing number of school visits and the children really enjoy their tours of the museum. Our visitors book is full of positive remarks from people worldwide about the museum and our volunteers.
‘Many of our visitors tell us that the museum has something of interest for absolutely everybody so that could be one reason for our success, plus the very good reviews we have been getting on internet holiday planning websites like Tripadvisor.
‘We opened a memorial garden last July which has proved to be very popular and we shall be trying to make it even better this year. It’s a lovely, sheltered area where people can sit enjoying the flowers and watching the planes passing by.’
The museum is always looking for new exhibits to add to its displays.
Ivor said: ‘There are so many stories to tell about the island and its people in wartime and in relation to flying that we shall never have enough room to tell them all; it’s very hard to decide what to leave out.
‘People have been very generous in giving us material for display and there is always something new being brought in.
‘For example only a few days ago we had some fascinating new photographs and records sent to us from someone who lives in Australia. His parents met at RAF Jurby in 1943 where his father, a highly experienced navigator, was an instructor and his mother was a clerk in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
‘These things all add to the amazing amount of detailed information that we have in our archives which people can use for their research about the island’s history in the Second World War.’
Ivor continued: ‘We have been astonished by the things which have been given to us for use in our First World War exhibition. In fact we have had so much given that I have had to delay the exhibition’s opening until later this year while I do more research on the new items.
‘We would still welcome more material from the 1914-18 period because the exhibition will be a permanent, detailed tribute to the Manx people who were involved directly or otherwise and we want to include as many people as possible. Items may be donated or loaned, and everything is treated with the greatest of care to ensure its survival for the island’s future generations.’
Ivor is concerned that the museum isn’t big enough to do justice to the island’s aviation and military history but it will need some major sponsorship to fund an extension.
He explained: ‘The museum is actually much bigger than it appears from the main road but even so, and despite our having built three extensions since 2000, we are still running out of space to display things.
‘We really do need to erect a large building to house new displays and an archive store.
‘There is also a need for a proper teaching area. All of this will cost a lot of money and we are hoping that we might attract a corporate sponsor who can help.
‘Some potential sponsors might be put off by the thought that we are a war museum but that is not what we are about. We tell the stories of the island’s people who were involved in war but the last thing we want people to think is that we glorify war in any way.’
Anyone who would like to contact Ivor to discuss sponsorship or donating or lending any military or aviation memorabilia for display can call him on 822695 or 454596.
The museum is free to enter. It is open every Saturday and Sunday and bank holiday from 10am to 4.30pm and during the summer it is open every day from TT Practice Week to the end of September.