I see I've been to #1 and #2 at least.. and there is a recent thread here on #4 Like all such lists I'm sure there's scope for more, dozens likely.. but nice to see plenty of locations around the world can find a high quality collection. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/07/travel/best-aviation-museums/ I'll have to see about getting to see #3 now.. maybe on the way to/from Oshkosh this year if the stars continue to line up..
I have also been to #1 and #2. That hangar 7 in Austria looks cool. There is a very nice, little known museum attached to the bradley intl airport in Connecticut https://www.neam.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1151
They lost me at the Palm Springs Air Museum. I've been to that one, and it's perfectly nice, but shouldn't be on that list. I don't know how you can make that list and not have the Museum of Flight in Seattle on it.
And even the Museum of Flight is overshadowed, in my opinion, by a number of others which are left off. The Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola is a really outstanding and enormous museum. While not strictly aviation related the Auto and Technical Museums in Sensheim and Speyr, Germany both have incredible aircraft exhibits. The cutaway 747 you can climb through that is mounted on a pole 100 feet off the ground is really something. I suspect its the only place with a Concord and Tu-144 side by side. It's been years since I have been there but Planes of Fame in Chino, CA is a place you can get up close and see a lot of stuff from warbirds to Racers. The static display museum at the old Castle AFB in central CA is another place to see some military aircraft that can't be seen many other places, its probably the best outdoor static display I can think of that is publicly accessible.
Not sure how Palm Springs gets on that list and Planes of fame (chino) is not. Been to 7 & 2 and for sure they should be on that list, How they missed the RAF museum at Hendon is a mystery also..
I drove past it in 2012 but was in dash from A-B and no time.. right next to autobahn/main road so easy to get to.. that mounted aircraft look impressive.. will do it next time!
Its a crazy cool pair of museums with everything from fighter jets to Ferraris to submarines to the Buran space shuttle.
The museum at Sinsheim is really impressive for both car and aircraft enthusiasts. Near where I lived outside of Heidelberg, we visited it several times.
Well, it may not be top 10 but the Intrepid in NYC with a 5 year old granddaughter this week was fun! Now she knows what an A-12 is...and all these years I thought it was an SR-71. Image Unavailable, Please Login
For the smithsonian I wonder if that included the Udvar Hazy center. I have been to both of those places and the Udvar Hazy center was amazing. They had so many aircrafts crammed in there and some we're hanging from the ceiling. The SR-71, space shuttle, Corsair, Concorde, etc were all great to see and I spent a very long time slowly walking around to each plane. It's one museum I think I could hang out in all day and still not get to see everything.
My feeling is that the Udvar Hazy is better than the one down on the Mall which seems like half of it is kid oriented stuff.
It certainly looks like it! Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I wonder if "the Smithsonian" as a whole is simply the largest and most extensive collection(s) ever done.
Very cool... but I can't believe Evergreen isn't on the list - where Spruce Goose lives. Oh well.... Jedi [I've been on the flight deck of the Goose twice - have photos to prove it!]
There are still problems out there, right? Comingling of funds, etc? I remember a recent thread about it...
If you want to see the Spruce Goose, I'd go sooner than later... but probably someone will take it over.
No, not doing well - yes go see her NOW - might be a LONG LONG TIME before that old gal is on display if the museum falls apart. Jedi
Assuming you don't have clearance to get on base, go to the USAF museum (#3) on a Friday so that you can get tours of the restoration facility as well as access to the research and presidential hangars. Overall, it is an amazing museum, completely covering it's focus, ranging from an original Wright brothers airplane through ICBMs and atomic bombs, to an Apollo command module. It takes at least a full day to pass through it. Regards, Art S.
I think that one of the best local museums is in Hood River, the Western Antique Airplane and Auto Museum. They have an amazing collection of vehicles from steam traction engines, motorcycles, cars, trucks, to airplanes from 1917 to the present. All the airplanes run and are flown during the summer season. Heath Parasol, Long Longster, Pietenpol Sky Scout, Air Camper, Wacos, Travel Airs, old Stinsons, A 1917 Jenny, and many other OX-5 powered flyables..
Definately. At Udvar Hazy they have everything sitting there with a good description next to it. Nothing more which I see as a good thing. Less clutter and more room for cool things. On the mall there are some very cool aircrafts, but much more kid oriented with mock ups to walk through and not too many full sized aircrafts. The aircrafts there appeal to everybody. Udvar Hazy is for the people who know a thing or two about planes and have a fascination with them while the one on the mall is for everybody. For the casual tourist the only thing of interest at the Udvar Hazy center would probably be the space shuttle. Everything else requires some sort of desire to see. I rearranged my plans to make it out there because I really wanted to see the SR71, Corsair, space shuttle, and the countless other really cool aircrafts they have crammed in there. Highly recommended for anyone in this subforum.
Pima Air Museum in Tucson well deserves their number 7 position. I always encourage anybody visiting it to make sure and drive over to their Titan Missile Museum for that tour too. Pima Air Museum is pretty proud of its independent status as "the largest non-government funded aviation Museum in the United States." [from their about us] As Don pointed out the current financial status of the Evergreen Air Museum in Oregon is quite precarious.
The RAF Museum in London (well, more like on the outskirts, away from Central London) is high on my list. I'm glad they included Palm Springs; it certainly deserves to be up there. Great docents - real aviators who served. The B-17G is at Palm Springs. The Bf-109 is from the RAF Museum. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Amazing place! We walked around with one of the guides, and ex-USAF pilot for like 3.5 hrs! Fascinating collection. Don't forget the Enola Gay is there too!
