>I once witnessed an argument between a visitor and a staffer at the
>Owls Head Transportation Museum about the
>museum's habit of operating its vehicles at the various special
>occasions it hosts during the summer. Well, when I say "argument", it
>was really the visitor ranting about the irresponsibility of it all
>and the staffer trying to find polite ways of not engaging.
>
>I kind of let it go on for a while, then ambled over, pointed at the
>oily drip tray under the engine of the vintage biplane standing
>nearby, and asked, "Is that there because this engine still runs?"
>
>"Yes it is," the staffer said.
>
>"Awesome," I said, and wandered on to look at the next item.

You'd absolutely love the Military Aviation Museum down here in Virginia Beach, as their philosophy is every aircraft in their collection be kept in or close to flight-worthy status. They even have their own outfit out at the Virginia Beach Airport (Fighter Factory) whose entire job is to keep the birds in rude health and ready to fire up. You walk around and you see drip trays, you see scuff marks and bits of chipped paint, even oil marks on the Skyraider (a plane famous for throwing oil everywhere). About the only plane in their collection that I personally know is not flight-worthy is their P-63 King Cobra.