There was a special Family Day event staged Monday by CFB North Bay and the National Aerospace Defence Museum.
Families were able to try on authentic military gear and have their pictures taken in a special studio, in an effort to engage the community of North Bay.
With each artifact is a story of 22 Wing CFB North Bay's past, and how it continues to be an integral part of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
"Our collection goes back more than 100 years, to the start of the first world war. It's not all North Bay related, we are the air defence museum, so we cover the story of what we are doing here at 22 wing and how it's evolved from the very beginning." said Bethany Aitchison, Assistant Curator at the museum.
The hands-on experience is one enjoyed by many military families, including those serving for the U.S. air force.
"It's great for them to see the history and relate to it. 22 Wing has such a vast history, with the underground and the above ground facilities now and it's such a big part of the city of North Bay, as we employ a lot of personnel up here and we want to take a big role and contribute to the entire community." said U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Rye Whitehead.
Even though about 2,000 visitors come through every year, museum staff says many people in North Bay remain unaware of the museum.
"We are always surprised with how many people have not and they always seem really keen on learning the history once they know it's here." said Aitchison.
Officials say sharing the stories of 22 Wing North Bay and its role with the Royal Canadian Air Force, serves as a bridge connecting the community and the base.
"We can go out in to the community and welcome them on base to see the history because we are a little bit out of town and we can be forgotten about, so it's important for us to be that link between us and the community." said Aitchison.
While the museum is normally only opened on Saturdays over the winter, it sees most of its visitors throughout the summer and Aitchison says there is an increase in visitors from outside the area and she aims to continue building the facility's profile.
