10 Best Aviation Museums in the U.S.

Travel + Leisure

5 days ago

If you're someone who's fascinated by all things aviation—commercial planes, space travel, aerodynamics—there are more than a handful of places you can go to learn more in person. 'Aviation museums preserve the stories and breakthroughs that shaped flight. For many of us in the aviation world, they're a lasting source of inspiration,' Matteo Atti, chief marketing officer at Vista, a private aviation group, tells Travel + Leisure . And some of the very best aviation museums are located right here in the U.S.
Together with Atti and Abigail Erickson-Torres, the president and CEO of Frontiers of Flight Museum, we put together a list of the top ones to visit, from the renowned Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., to the Space Center Houston.
American Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat Fighter of 1942 in Hangar 37 of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum of Hawaii.
Aviation enthusiasts and history buffs alike should visit the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, located on Ford Island, an active military base (visitors are shuttled from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center) on Oahu. Along with the USS Arizona Memorial, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and Battleship Missouri Memorial, the aviation museum shares the story of the Dec. 7, 1941 attack and honors those who fought in World War II. The museum spans two WWII-era hangars, which contain exhibits, various artifacts, and more than 50 aircraft. 'Their exhibits and planes are exquisite, and the stories, thoughtfully told, are so unique to the USA; they do it so well,' says Erickson-Torres. Antique aircraft inside The Museum of Flight.
You'll need to carve out plenty of time—at least three hours—to properly explore Seattle's Museum of Flight. There's a lot to see, and you don't want to miss any of the highlights. There are more than 175 aircraft—ranging from the 1929 Aeronca C-2 and the 1963 Boeing 727 to the SAM 970, which served as Air Force One and carried Presidents Kennedy, Nixon, and Johnson—along with thousands of artifacts and photographs. In June 2025, the museum will also open up a brand-new exhibit. "The MiG-21 Project," created by South African artist Ralph Ziman, showcases a decommissioned Cold War-era MiG-21 fighter jet, now an art piece covered in millions of colorful glass beads. Boeing exhibit in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.
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Both Erickson-Torres and Atti are fans of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, with the former referencing the 'incredible artifacts' and 'fantastic' education programs. 'The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum stands out for its remarkable collection of iconic aircraft,' says Atti, who specifically recommends checking out the "Nation of Speed" exhibit. The exhibit is designed to demonstrate the country's desire 'to become the fastest on land, sea, air, and space,' and it includes the Sharp DR 90 Nemesis, the famed air racing champion. 'This unique connection underscores the enduring influence of aviation far beyond the cockpit,' he adds. A line of aircraft on display at the Intrepid Museum.
Located at Pier 86 in New York City right along the Hudson River, the Intrepid Museum is the perfect addition to any Manhattan itinerary. Its collection is impressive—you can see the supersonic British Airways Concorde Alpha Delta G-BOAD up close—and a series of rotating exhibits keeps it fresh and exciting. Right now, the museum is hosting an exhibit showcasing the remains of an F4U-1D Corsair that was shot down near Japan's island of Kyushu in 1945. No matter when you visit, though, you'll be able to check out a fully restored World War II FG-1D Corsair fighter bomber and the Enterprise, NASA's prototype orbiter. An exhibit inside the Houston Space Center.
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While some people may only associate commercial or private planes with aviation, the subject can also encompass space travel. And if you're fascinated by spacefaring, there's one place to go: the Space Center Houston, which also serves as the visitor center of the NASA Johnson Space Center. 'It's a totally unique experience, and they are on the cutting edge of museum design and visitor attractions,' says Erickson-Torres. There are over 400 space artifacts—don't miss the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket or the Apollo 13 Lithium Hydroxide Canister Prototype—as well as engaging exhibits and experiences. The museum also has the world's most comprehensive collection of astronaut apparel and spacesuits, including the spacesuit Pete Conrad wore on the moon during the Apollo 12 mission. An airplay motor exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
National Museum of the United States Air Force
'Given Vista America's operations based near Columbus, Ohio, the nearby National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton provides us with a powerful reminder of what's possible when we work as a team,' says Atti. Admission is free, and visitors can explore the museum's collection of more than 350 vehicles and missiles plus thousands of artifacts. Founded in 1923, the museum just celebrated its 102nd anniversary and is regularly cited as the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum. While visiting, you can journey through aviation history, starting in the Early Years Gallery (home to a Wright brothers exhibit) and making your way to the Space Gallery, where you'll find the Apollo 15 command module.
An exhibit on the Apollo 9 space expedition.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego is a city with dozens of museums, so it's no surprise that there's one dedicated to aviation. This isn't just any run-of-the-mill aviation museum, though. The San Diego Air & Space Museum thoroughly covers the history of aviation—starting with a model of the Montgolfier brothers' 1783 hot air balloon (the first record of a manned vehicle bringing humans above Earth) and running through the military aircraft used in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and into Space Age technology. There are also several simulators for visitors to try, as well as a 3D/4D theater, now showing "Legend of Apollo" and "Delta Zero." Propellers of an older air craft.
You'll find the Frontiers of Flight Museum in a 100,000-square-foot complex at Dallas Love Field, just northwest of Dallas. The museum has over 35,000 different artifacts and 40 air and space vehicles for visitors to see. Its permanent exhibits include 'Dreamers and Early Flyers,' where you can check out the first private pilot's license issued in the U.S., and 'Space Flight,' which has artifacts from the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. SR-71 Blackbird on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.
If you ever find yourself in McMinnville, Oregon, southwest of Portland, your first point of interest should be the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. It's known for the Spruce Goose, the world's largest wooden airplane—an aircraft that, manned by Howard Hughes in 1947, flew once, for just 30 seconds. Other interesting exhibits at the museum include the Titan II SLV (the main vehicle in NASA's Gemini program) and the SR-71 Blackbird, which flew at three times the speed of sound, or just over 2,000 miles per hour. Aircraft on exhibit at Pima Air & Space Museum.
The Pima Air & Space Museum has been around for nearly five decades—it first opened in 1976—and it continues to draw in visitors who are curious about all things aviation. Spanning 80 acres of both indoor and outdoor space, the museum has six indoor hangars and 425 aircraft on display. One of those aircraft is the Bede BD-5, the world's smallest jet aircraft developed in the 1970s. There's also an aerospace gallery, where visitors can learn more about the Space Race and discover a collection of unmanned aerial vehicles (like the General Atomics MQ-1B Predator and the Radioplane OQ-3).