ARE YOU AN AVIATION FAN? HERE ARE 7 MUST-VISIT MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUMS
If you’re a fan of military aviation, then you’ll find some of the best on the planet right here in the USA. These museums offer a memorable experience for all, even those who may not be huge aviation fans, as they offer visitors the opportunity to take a high-flying journey through the clouds to experience the history of not just military aviation, but the nation.
Additionally, you’ll get to learn more about the people behind the planes – those who envisioned them, built them, maintained them, and took major risks to fly them beyond the surly bonds of Earth. Military aviation museums are ultimately about the warfighters, and they ensure that the accomplishments of these brave men and women are never forgotten.
Military aviation museums host wide collections of helicopters, warplanes, spacecraft, and exhibits highlighting the evolution of military air and space operations. Each of the museums on the list below has a slightly different lineup of aircraft and spacecraft, so you may want to visit them all.
If you're looking for a fun and memorable way to spend the day, you’ll want to check out these seven military aviation museums.
1. National Museum of the US Air Force
The National Museum of the US Air Force is located on Wright-Patterson AFB. It bills itself as the world’s largest military aviation museum. To confirm that claim, you’ll have to visit it for yourself. You surely won’t be disappointed.
The museum is home to over 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles. Additionally, you’ll find thousands of artifacts related to the history of the Air Force.
Some noteworthy galleries at the museum that you'll want to explore include the Early Years Gallery, the World War II Gallery, the Missile Gallery, and Memorial Park.
- Location: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio
- Hours: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Ticket Prices: Free
2. National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) occupies two locations in the Washington, DC, metro area, and both are well worth a visit. The museum is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.
Almost all of its spacecraft and aircraft on display are the original primary or backup craft and not reproductions. At the NASM’s primary location on the National Mall, you can see the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the Friendship 7 capsule, which was flown by John Glenn, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the model of the starship Enterprise used in the science fiction television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer airplane near the entrance. It’s very cool.
The NASM also has an annex at Dulles International Airport called the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. At the center, you can see the Space Shuttle Discovery, an SR-71 Blackbird, and the Boeing B-29 Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the first atomic weapon on Japan. Need we say more?
- NASM Primary Location: 650 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20004 (National Mall)
- Hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
- Ticket Prices: Free (with a time-limited ticket)
- Udvar-Hazy Center Location: 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA 20151
- Hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
- Ticket Prices: Free (but may require a time-limited ticket)
- Parking: $15 per vehicle
3. Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum
The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is home to a truly impressive collection of aircraft. The most famous aircraft hangared at the museum is the Hughes H-4 Hercules “Spruce Goose,” a prototype seaplane intended to transport troops and material across the ocean during WWII.
However, the aircraft wasn’t completed in time and only made one flight in 1947. Other iconic exhibits include those dedicated to the SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117 Nighthawk. In addition to its military aviation galleries, be sure to check out the space exploration galleries to see how military aviation and spacecraft development overlap.
- Location: 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville, OR 97128
- Hours: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adult (16+): $24
- Seniors (65+) & Vets: $21
- Youth (5 -15 years old): $14
- Children under 5: Free
- Military Servicemembers: Free
4. Pima Air and Space Museum
The Pima Air and Space Museum is one of the largest non-government-funded aviation and space museums in the world. It features about 400 historic aircraft, from a Wright Flyer to a 787 Dreamliner.
Sitting on 80 acres, the museum opened its doors to the public in May of 1976. Over the past forty years, the museum has grown immensely and today encompasses six indoor exhibit hangars, with three dedicated to WWII. Be sure to check out the “390th Memorial Museum” and the “Space Gallery,” which is home to rare artifacts from the space race era.
- Location: 6000 E Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85756
- Hours:
- REGULAR HOURS (October – May): Daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- SUMMER HOURS (June – September): Daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adult (Age 13+): $22.50
- Military / Veteran: $20.59
- Senior (Age 65+): $19.75
- Pima County Resident: $18.25
- Junior (Ages 5-12): $16.00
- Child (Ages 0-4): FREE
5. San Diego Air & Space Museum
Aviation history unfolds at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Your journey through the history of flight begins as you stand beneath a model of the Montgolfier brothers’ hot air balloon from 1783, the first manned vehicle in recorded history to break the bonds of gravity and lift humans above the Earth. Rare specimens of aircraft suggest the excitement of air combat in the World War I Gallery.
You can marvel at the entertaining and dangerous antics of the barnstormers of the 1920s in the Golden Age of Flight Gallery. The museum also contains a mint condition Royal Air Force Spitfire Mk. XVI, a US Navy F6F Hellcat, and a US Navy A-4 Skyhawk jet.
The museum’s display of space-age technology, like the desire to journey to the stars, may never be finished, for it represents an adventure that the human race has truly just begun.
- Location: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
- Hours: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults (12+): $35.00
- Senior (65+)/Student/Retired Military with ID: $29.00
- Youth (3-11): $22.00
- Children 2 and under: Free
- SDASM Member: Free
- Active Duty Military: Free
6. National Naval Aviation Museum
The National Naval Aviation Museum is the world’s largest naval aviation museum, and one of the most-visited museums in the state of Florida. Share the excitement of Naval Aviation’s rich history and see more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft representing Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Aviation.
These historic and one-of-a-kind aircraft are displayed both inside the museum’s over 350,000 square feet of exhibit space and outside on its 37-acre grounds. In addition to aircraft galleries, the museum also has flight simulators and cockpit trainers.
- Location: 1750 Radford Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32508
- Hours: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Ticket Prices: Free
7. Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, Georgia
When the Museum of Aviation opened to the public on Friday, 9 November 1984, it only had 20 aircraft on display in an open field, and another 20 were in various stages of restoration. Since then, the museum has grown to become the second-largest museum in the United States Air Force and the fourth most visited museum in the Department of Defense.
The Museum of Aviation is situated on 51 acres next to Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. The facility includes four climate-controlled exhibit buildings, which house some of the 85 historic USAF aircraft, missiles, cockpits, and award-winning exhibits. The museum is a place that honors Veterans and their families and reminds Airmen of their legendary Air Force heritage.
- Location: 1942 Heritage Blvd, Robins AFB, GA 31098
- Hours:
- Mon – Sat Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Sun Hours: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Ticket Prices: Free
We strongly recommend that you spend some time exploring the history of military aviation, given the significant role military aviation has played in US military history. Military aviation museums strive to preserve the accomplishments of the brave military personnel who served their country performing dangerous air combat missions around the globe.
Not only do these museums preserve their legacy, but they also provide a unique educational experience for visitors. Whether you're a military aviation enthusiast, a history buff, or are simply looking for a fun family activity, we promise that these museums will leave you with a lasting, memorable experience. So, plan your visit to explore the fascinating world of military aviation by finding some aviation museums near you.
Suggested reads:
BY GEORGE RIEBLING
National Security Analyst at VeteranLife
Air Force Veteran
George Riebling is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of distinguished service as an Air Battle Manager, including operational assignments across five command and control weapon systems. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism, Radio & Television from the University of Missouri. Following his military c...
Credentials
Expertise
George Riebling is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of distinguished service as an Air Battle Manager, including operational assignments across five command and control weapon systems. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism, Radio & Television from the University of Missouri. Following his military c...
