National Museum of the US Air Force Reviews

Get there early before they open, they play the Air Force song when the doors open which is really cool. Also it's less crowded in the early morning of course. We only had 5 hours to spend there so we did a walk through of each gallery. It was incredibly interesting! There was so much more we could have seen if we had only had more time. We didn't get to see the movie, or the simulators, or the outside displays and memorials. So try to spend a full day or better yet, two days. But it's still worth the stop even if you can't stay long.

I live in Dayton and worked for the Air Force for 42 years. This place gives me goosebumps! It's Ohio's No. 1 tourist attraction, and it's FREE!! It has aviation artifacts going back to even before the Wright Brothers. 4 hangers of displays = 4 days, and you still can't see everything. But don't miss the XB-70 Valkyrie, only one of it's kind left (the other one crashed in the 1960's). Amazing feats of engineering every which way you turn. And don't forget the human interest stories, from the Berlin airlift to the Vietnam POWs to the Doolittle Raiders. And there are even some immersive "rides" (for extra cost) and a gift shop that is amazing for getting something for the aviation history buff.
BTW, The National Air and Space museum annex at Dulles Int'l Airport is a close second. Dayton lost out to them for one of the full size NASA space shuttles, though we still have a pretty nice display, but not the same as a full size shuttle.

The museum is large and you need more than one day to see it all. The volunteers were great and the fact that they have wheelchairs and scooters for those who need them is a plus (first come first served). There are aircraft on the ground and hanging from the ceiling if that gives you an idea of how full the three large hangers are. Well worth the time and I would go back.

A phenomenal air museum. I generally rush around museums getting to the aircraft I already know that I want to see; not here. I spent two full days and coulda spent another. Highly recommended

This museum has a lot of everything, from early flight to modern drones, there is something for everyone. Be sure to block of quite a few hours to get through the entire museum. We even saw the Memphis Belle!

What an amazing place, so much to see we stayed for a second day. If you can plan for 2 days, tours were excellent and our kids loved the simulators and hands on exhibits! Staff was helpful, polite, and this place is clean.
Cafe was lacking, but we could have gone out. There's a comfort inn within walking distance, I wish I would have looked into.

When planning a trip, plan for it to take all day and it may still not be enough time. It was spread out and easy to go thru. The planes and activities were displayed perfectly to maneuver your way thru. And the Air Force One plane of JFK was a total surprise. I didn’t know that’s was on display there. And to make it even better, it’s free!!! The gift shop has great variety for souvenirs as leaving.

This is the ultimate aircraft museum. Over a million squre feet of fascinating aircraft beautifully displayed and explained by military docents with flight knowledge. If you're in Dayton this is a Must See!

The National Museum of the US Air Force is so large and detailed and extensive that in 4 different trips here I have still yet to see more than a quarter of it. Some exhibits remain the same while other special exhibits rotate in and out. It begins with early flight and goes all the way to modern times. I was especially interested this time in the Berlin Air Lift when food and many other essential supplies were airlifted by the U.S. into the city of West Berlin, Germany. At that time East Berlin was under Communist control and all roads and other pathways into the city were blocked in an attempt to control that part too. I will return here again!

I don't think I can say anything that hasn't been said already, but this place is top museums in the country (only behind Smithsonian in my eyes). It truly has the history of America as seen through aviation on display. Walk through the plane that held Kennedy's coffin and you'll know what I mean. Of particular interest was the display on the Tuskegee pilots.

Displays were great, well maintained and informative.

Eat before you come. Cafés are horrible!!! Understaffed for sure and workers even complained. Not a clean table in the place, disgusting!!! I cannot imagine the kitchen area...

Totally unacceptable...

The Aircraft Experience of A Lifetime. From WWII to the jet age,up to the skys and beyond. The layout of aircraft is perfect. You can try flying in the demo cockpit yahoo!

Simply, the best aviation museum in the world. And its free. Spend your whole day there. Much better than Smithsonian in my opinion.

Have heard others stopped by here many times, but this was our first visit.

It's HUGE! And very interesting. We weren't able to see everything, but we did learn a lot. Worth a visit!

I went to this Museum as a kid 50 years ago and remember it, so I was glad to see it again. There is so much to see that it would take several visits to see it all. You get a close up look at so many significant Air Planes from our history. Very interesting, I highly Recommend.

SO much to see that we spent 2 full days and probably didn't see everything. We will be back ! It was Open Cockpit day on sons favorite plane which just added to the excitement. Its free to get in so we had packed a picnic lunch which we enjoyed in the remembrance garden where there was monuments to many branches , many beautiful trees and picnic tables

Absolutely incredible. 4 hangars worth of history. Interactive stations, chances to walk through some historic planes. Kids enjoyed the VR to Mars and the F-16 Simulator. Wish we had more time to walk around. Definitely wear your walking shoes.

I heard quite the reviews on this particular museum and will say that they did not disappoint. Despite a minor hiccup on checking in, I was able to go ahead and visit a majority of the exhibits and attend a movie. To get the full experience, I would recommend staying here at least eight hours instead of four hours that I could spare.

This Museum is beautiful & holds so much history! From the Early Years all the way to the Space Gallery , it’s ALL there to explore! The kids enjoyed the many interactive exhibits!! You can literally spend hours exploring the museum & there are always volunteers available to answer questions or point you in the right direction! My Dad was a decorated 25 year Air Force Veteran (followed by 15 years Civil Service at the AF base) who served in WWII, The Korean War, and Vietnam, and being at this museum makes me feel there is a part of him there. We must always remember the importance of our Military & how they fought for the freedoms we enjoy today!!

Always a great place to visit and the museum is working very hard to update their exhibits. Plus it is very close to my home

This museum has FREE admission! You can pay for the attractions, but we didn't feel the least bit lacking for not purchasing the attractions. There are FOUR very large hangers with about 30 panes or more in each one. There is SOOOO much to see.

I'm not into this sort of thing, but there is something for everyone to take in. It was QUITE a bit of walking for me, so we didn't get to the last hanger, which I would have been most interested in - it has experimental aircraft, rockets, and spacecraft. But we had spent about 3-4 hours looking around the 3hangers and were walked out.

There are even planes outside - one of which had been used in a bunch of movies, like transformer movies, and Superman, etc. It says right on the side of the plane which movies it's been used in.

They have lovely displays that feature people of prominence throughout, such as the first people of color in the air force, or to hold certain positions.

The Air Force Challenger and Mustang were also very neat. They also had a motorcycle that was designed with Air Force Technology. I also liked the artwork that was used for mission logos, etc.

There was SO much to see and so many photo ops, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Absolutely one of the best aviation museum’s we have seen. We spent 2 days there and could have spent more. The volunteers were friendly & helpful, the movies were excellent! We attended most of the talks given by the retired US Air Force, and they were extremely knowledgeable. This was one of the best museums for all ages. Would definitely recommend this as your next visit.

Have been several times and always wish I had more time. 4 large hangars full of aircraft and spacecraft throughout the history of flight. Easy to spend hours here. Great for kids, adults, veterans, people wanting to learn about aviation.

We went expecting to see a lot of airplanes, and we did. But there was a lot more going on that made the trip more meaningful and more fun. First of all, make sure to visit the Wright Brothers Memorial adjacent to the museum. It is a beautiful green island in a very busy place (Wright-Patterson AFB), and it commemorates the first air field in the world. Then on to the museum itself for movies, simulators, experiences and, of course, the planes themselves. We particularly enjoyed walking through the historic presidential planes, including the Air Force One which flew President Kennedy's body back from Dallas and in which President Johnson took the oath of office. The staff, too, was helpful and friendly. Plan a whole day, maybe broken up into halves if you can. Definitely worth a visit!

The museum is HUGE and AWESOME! So many planes you can go in, read about and more! There are plenty of things to do for any age! And it’s even free! Definitely worth the drive. I could have spent whole days here!

US Air Force aircraft involved in conflicts since WWI are displayed nicely at this museum along with their historical context. Aircraft displays are segmented by time period. Seeing everything requires almost a full day or more, if you hope to read all the interpretive signage. I was most impressed with the Presidential aircraft walk-throughs, the southeast Asian section and the very sobering exhibit on atomic weaponry. It was very warm and stuffy in all the buildings when we visited mid-May which made for a somewhat unpleasant visit. The lunch offerings are nothing special, pre-made sandwiches, chips, cheese sticks, cookies and pop. Plan on a full day if you are very interested in aircraft or a couple hours if only casually interested.

And rockets and satellites! This museum is dedicated to airplanes of the US Air Force and to opposition aircraft (meaning there are lots of MiGs). As such it differs a bit from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Both have historic aircraft but the Smithsonian (including the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles) has a wider range of aircraft types. The Air Force Museum actually seems to have quite a few more aircraft. The planes range from very old to very new (F-22 Raptor included).

The hangers are enormous and filled with airplanes. There is a complete collection of Presidential aircraft including the 707 that brought JFK's body back from Dallas. The bombers go from early to late and huge. They have fit in a B-1, 2, 17, 24, 25, 28, 38, 47, 52, and 70 (the last remaining one). There are actually too many to list here, but they are impressive. There is an A-12 as well as an SR-71.

The displays are amazingly well done. A highlight was not an airplane. This museum has the collection of silver goblets used by the Doolittle Raiders for toasts during their reunions. It also has the remaining bottle of Cognac used for those toasts. This was a poignant display reminding us of those old warriors.

Haven’t been to this museum in 12 years. They have added a lot of exhibits. Disappointed in the helicopter selection, it could have been better. Crash Fire Rescue was a new addition. Plan on the whole day if you want to see everything. Bring your walking shoes and some bottles of water. Staff was friendly. Beware items in the gift shop have a 200-300% markup. The restrooms were not that clean. Visited in June 2024 with a Family Group. Free Admission and Parking.

Want to walk on the plane that took JFK to Dallas, LBJ was sworn in, and brought JFK's body back to DC?
Want to learn about the Wright Brothers and the history of aviation?
Want to find out what US servicemen experienced liberating concentration camps after World War 2?
If you answered yes to any and all of these questions, this enormous, FREE museum is for you. Spent about 4 hours here and didn't even cover half of it!

Brought the grandkids in to see the museum. Was a big hit all the way around. The day we were there we had bought tickets for the 3D theater, at the moment we were suppose to go into theater we were told the movies were cancelled for the day. Very disappointing since we rarely get to this area. You could spend all day looking and learning about all the war planes. Plan to take your time.

Air Force museum is always a hit with my nephew. He has so many questions and loves all the planes.

While that part of the visit was great - Other parts not so much.

Pressured into a donation for a map - would have used a digital one if it has been offered but instead I had to get out my credit card. While you could “give what you wanted” - no small bills available at that moment.

Lunch: They offer 3 choices for kids and were sold out of one. When I asked was basically told sorry - I guess it is not realistic to make more turkey sandwiches. So - you then have to choose between things he won’t eat or purchase him an adult sandwich (twice the size) which he took apart and ate only the turkey and half a sandwich. I spent more for lunch for two at the air force museum than I did for dinner and drinks at a bar last week for myself. I get it - high costs every where but this is excessive.

This is an outstanding museum to visit if you're in the Dayton area. It's huge, could easily take you all day, and best of all, it's free (though I'd recommend you give a donation). So many planes to see and history to learn. Highly recommend!

This museum has one of the largest collections of aircraft in the world. The exhibits take the visitor from the initial flights by the Wright Brothers to the most advanced USAF aircraft. I was particularly touched by the Holocaust exhibit.

Amazing! Huge facility with 4 hangers full of aircrafts. Took us 5 hours and we could have stayed longer. Amazing place if you love history

Hundreds of planes, including many you can walk through. Hundreds of exhibits. An amazing walk through the history of the USAF beginning with WWI.

Hard to believe it’s free, but it is.

Good trip. We arrived at approximately 1 pm and made our way towards the entrance of the museum. Admission into the museum was free, which is always a plus. The museum was huge and contained hundreds of different types of airplanes, along with informational plaques, detailing what we were seeing in front of us. We were able to go into several of the airplanes and view their interiors. There were several places to eat, along with a movie theatre that played three different movies throughout the day.

Tip: I recommend spending 2.5 hours here if you truly want to see everything.

If I could give this place 1000, from 0-10, I would. Easily the best collection of planes I have ever seen!! Great exhibits, a lot of history, iconic and legendary planes (such as the F-22, F-117, B-1, B-2, B-25, Su-27, MiG-29, SR-71, etc). A MUST visit!! 👍👌👏😄 Suggestion: Install cell phone charging stations. I took so many photos and vids that my battery was getting low and was only exiting WW2 exhibit! Also, there has to be a golf cart or way to check planes outside.

If you are ever near Dayton this museum is a MUST see. Plan all day or more to visit. This museum has incredible exhibits. The staff are lovely and will take all day to explain any of the exhibits to you. I loved they had the entire history of aviation from the Wright Brothers to modern day. Really you must see tour this place.

Amazing place. Well laid out. Did I say it was free! The displays are wonderful so many planes. My husband is still in there!!

Came here with family, and it was a very well managed situation. Everyone who needed to were wearing masks (including guests who couldn't be vaccinated), and the exhibits were in as good a shape as ever. We went to the on-loan space exhibit and 2 movies as well as seeing all the aircraft and the always excellent gift shop. Thought about the rides, but none appealed this visit. I will say it's a disappointment that the simulators are now rides where you can't do your own flying, but maybe there was an issue with it. Hoping next visit for the VR to be space-related and the theater ride to be fixed.

This was my second visit and I enjoyed it even more than the first time. I came specifically to see the restored Memphis Belle but this visit got to spend more time in the areas of planes from the past 40 years—just amazing planes and info!

I got to sit in Planes here! My husband, who was traveling with me, could not fit inside them, but that does not affect this review at all! The history we learned here. The gift shop was to die for.

This is by far the best airplane museum that I have ever visited. It has a large selection of US Air Force Planes too admire. The staff was well informed and very willing to help. Admission and Parking are FREE. Also scooters and wheelchairs are free as well. My wife and I spent over three hours in the museum, and it was not enough time. One interesting sidelight--there are four retired Air Force Ones in the museum, and you can walk through each one.

We spent nearly four hours at the museum and enjoyed every minute of it. The volunteer staff were very eager to answer questions and share interesting facts with us. Definitely a kid-friendly environment with a lot of hands-on experiences.

Great museum with lots to see. Each hanger is dedicated to a different era/war. We didn’t get there till about 11:30. Would recommend going earlier when they open at 9 a.m. and plan to spend the whole day. There is that much to see. Lots of photo ops for the kids. The parking and admission is free. There is one photo set up that someone takes your picture, then changes the background (space, planes, etc) by a camera app and you pick up the printed out pictures when leaving. Be prepared to pay at least $35 for that …we did not. Were nice pictures. Exit is through the gift shop as it is in many museums….so if you have small kids, be prepared to purchase something…we did.. when you first come in there are several desks to go up to and someone will answer questions and ask if you want to buy a map. You really don’t need a map as there are lots of signs to direct you to differed areas. There are free guided tours…but we only had a few hours and didn’t have time for those. We may have to go back soon to see the rest of what we missed.

We took our grandchildren ages 3 to 10 and except for the youngest, the others really enjoyed the museum. While there the staff volunteers were great and answered all our questions. They also have a nice shaded park outside and it was a great place for a lunch picnic. Considering we only live 1 1/2 hours away we will be back in the future as we saw only part of it that day.

This place has everything related to Aviation you could imagine! We spent 2 days visiting all the displays and walk through attractions. Great for Kids!!

We had went to Kentucky to see the Ark Encounter and I had found this Museum online. It was roughly an hour and forty five minute drive. I would definitely say it was worth it. This facility is huge. Make sure you have good walking shoes. There is plenty of parking. There is no entry fee, but they do ask for donations. There are some things you can do that require a fee. We got there just before mid day and it really pushed us to see everything. There are examples of pretty much any type of aircraft. Each hanger is dedicated to the different periods of aviation. There are rockets as well as space related capsules. I thoroughly enjoyed the Presidential air planes. I was aware of the Air Force One on site , but was surprised by the planes of FDR, Truman , and Eisenhower. You are able to actually walk through these planes. There are plenty of restrooms throughout the hangers. I wish they would have had some food options on site. There was a small cafe, but didn’t really feel there was a lot to get there. I also thought the gift shop would have had a little better selection,but that was not a big deal. I can’t recommend this museum enough if you are anywhere close to this area. Make sure you allow for the proper amount of time to see everything . Excellent experience.

I served in the Air Force for 21 years. It was nice to see things that I had flown on or used throughout my career. The volunteers are very helpful. I didn't have time today to see everything. I'll be back next year and I will take as much time as I can to see it all.

A simply overwhelming collection of USAF aircraft in tremendous condition, to the point where you get the impression they could be fueled up and flown out.

So many significant aircraft (Memphis Belle for example), but the collection as a whole is so well laid out and informative.

A definite must see for any aviation buff, but able to be enjoyed by anyone!

Amazing place. Must see when in Dayton. Plan on being there all day but can be done in a few hours. Free admission. Plenty of parking. Lots of iconic planes to see

Family of 6, all kids 10 and under and we absolutely had a blast!
So much to see and do, if you honestly want to stop and read everything (not advisable with youngins..) then it would take 2 solid days of exploring. And it is all readable material, not boring droll.
If you are planning to go with young ones, it's advised to go to the very back bay and work forward as they get burnt out from all the walking and the more interesting stuff for kids is in the back bays. A worker posted at the entrance even advised us as such, but we failed to listen and the last few bays were spent crying about aching feet 😅.
Seriously, for the price of FREE, this place is pure robbery for the amount of fun and wonder that waits for you here. Do not miss out for anything within a 2-3 hours radius! It will beat it hands down!

Outstanding museum. It's amazing to be able to view aircrafts dating from the early days of flight all the way to modern day warplanes, as well as, space exploration technology.

Be ready to walk a lot as there is so much to see. We spent over 6 hours there and still did not see everything. Do go through the airplane that was Air Force One when JFK was assassinated. Gave me goosebumps to experience that piece of history.

We visited the museum in July of 2024. What a great collection of priceless aircraft and artifacts. We simply loved the experience and would go back again at anytime. If you are planning a visit, wear your walking shoes... there is a lot to see and experience.

We has a couple of goals for this adventure. First, we wanted to see J.F.K.'s Air Force One the SAM 26000. Such an iconic and historical aircraft that we have seen in several photos and videos through our research. We had to see it in person. Also, we wanted to track down and find the 4 aircraft at the museum that have reported paranormal claims. It would not be an Our Haunted Travels adventure if we did not include that. We were definitely not disappointed.

Please check out our blog site and YouTube channel for details about our visit.

Likely the best museum I have ever stepped foot in. Took my grandfather, who is a veteran, here for his birthday and it blew our expectations out of the water. We ended up walking 7 miles looking at all the displays. You can see everything in a day, if you hustle, but to properly check everything out and read about the pieces on display, you'll need multiple visits. I'm looking forward to going back. Get there early, as it gets crowded in the afternoon.

Outstanding exhibits. I could have spent two full days here. Excellent work in keeping and maintaining our nations treasures. I will definitely be coming back when the weather warms up.

The WOW factor is just amazing for this place some much to see I would say it’s a 2 day look around or just get there early and stay till late as you can
Exhibits a well looked after and presented and informative with some interactive items
Restaurant was a little poor with not a lot to offer so have a good breakfast and plan for a meal after
Staff where very helpful and courteous

Two days is not enough. It’s huge, it’s free, it’s amazing. From the earliest lighter than air to space. I really enjoyed the Vietnam era area. Have not seen a C123 since I rode in one in RVN. A B52 and B36 inside! One of the very best museums I’ve seen.

Where do you start with this place? It is big, super big, and it is amazing. You will need more then a day to see everything they have to offer here. From the start of flight with Wilbur and Orville to the race in space and beyond.
This place has grown tremendously since my first visit in 1961. They just don't park airplanes inside to look at. They have much much more to see and experience.
You can land the space shuttle or fly jets in a simulator. You can walk through large aircraft and walk through history such as the plane that JFK traveled on while President. You can even wonder who used the playing cards on President Truman's plane.
If you want a snack they have a place to rest and eat and regroup. And if you want to buy something for someone special or yourself there is the gift shop.
The place is staffed with volunteers who are knowledgeable, insightful and busting at the seams to tell you their story about this wonderful museum.
Take the trip to get here. It is free to enter and free to park. Getting here is well worth the trip and you will not be disappointed.

Visited as part of an Air Force Reunion. What better place than here. Visited the museum the day before the reunion and really enjoyed it bringing back memories of my time in the air force.

There are literature which are written in small font. Hard to read. You need binoculars to enjoy this humongous place.

…and huge. It has several buildings where dozens/hundreds of airplanes or mechanisms related to them are displayed. In a morning visit we were only able to see the building of the origins of aviation well, and then we went to the final building where the presidential planes were located. It takes several days to see it properly, but you are still amazed by what you find there. A really great museum.
It is also free (at the entrance they ask for a donation, but it is voluntary); and inside there are several simulators (paid, $10). And at the end of the visit, a walk through the store, you will surely take something with you as a souvenir.

We could go back to this museum over and over and over again it is so very good. Well done and an exhaustive display of airplanes. We were all very impressed with the B-52, the blackbird, and the Valkyrie. It’s hard to get through this museum in a couple days worth of visits. Such extraordinary and historical plains! Excellent!

This museum is so well arranged and so full of planes. It is HUGE! Give yourself plenty of time. It begins with Wright brothers era and has all the major war planes represented including WWI, WW2, Vietnam, Korea, Cold War as well as Rockets, and president planes you can go inside.

I visited the Museum to see the third building. I also saw the fourth building. I went on part of one day and on part of another day. I was pleasantly surprised at the difference that bringing in the exhibits that were outside has made. The people were helpful. The guided walks were helpful. Most people like history. This museum does a great job presenting portions of American and World history.

By far the most comprehensive display of military aircraft, rockets spanning from the birth of aviation to today. This free museum is on Wright Patterson Air Force base, but it is located on a part of the base that is accessible to the public.

Largest collection of aircraft I have ever seen. One can easily spend an entire day here. My favorite were the Missiles and rockets that can be found in the museum as well as all the Presidential aircraft used by every President from Roosevelt to Obama. Food and water can be purchased in the Museum. The Museum and parking are both free to visit. There are lots of volunteers who can share their stories about the exhibits. We came to Dayton just to see this museum.

Several exhibits closed due to Covid but still worth the visit. Reasonable entry fee and huge arenas.

Fabulous place. If you want to see true US Air Force History this is it. Incredible collection of aircraft, folks working there are amazing, just a great place to spend a day.

This is a wonderful museum filled with amazing and (important) history! The grounds are beautiful, the collections are jaw-dropping, and the entire experience is fun! Wander around and take a look at everything: aircraft of all kinds, important accessories and equipment, and the amazing stories behind everything. We loved our visit and made a donation to help keep this great spot great!

We went on a school trip. My son was in a robotics competition. The museum is very large. I was surprised at how much space there was. I really enjoyed the planes that once carried the presidents. That was so cool to see. The food was really expensive and not that great, and the hangers are not temperature-controlled, so dress for the outside temperatures.
The competition was not well organized, and they did not have enough personnel, but I don't think that was the fault of the museum but of the event coordinators.

We are on a road trip and my husband made a last minute decision to visit this museum. I’m just so so into these types of museums. As we had some place to be we really rushed through to see the highlights and I very much enjoyed the visit too. The man who greeted us and gave us a description of each room and what not to miss was just wonderful. The space area and JFK’s Air Force One presidential plane were the highlights for me. Another thing I appreciated was the many areas of chairs to sit if you are with someone who reads everything! It’s big but I bet some grandchildren would really get into a visit here. And did I mention it’s free to get in?!

Just wow! There is so much to see here you could easily spend all day. I prioritized the early flight and WWII planes. Don't miss the Memphis Belle and the plane that dropped the atomic bomb. Good exhibits on WACs and the Tuskegee Airmen. You can walk through JFK's air force one. Not to be missed and close to Wright Brothers sites which makes for a fun aviation day.

We were told to take the tour, which was overly boring. WW2 airplane fans would not get enough of this your but for us it was of no interest.

The US Air Force museum has quite a number of planes you cannot see anywhere else … most notably the very large XB-70 “Valkyrie” supersonic bomber and the B2 stealth bomber, their prize pieces. Not only US planes but also a lot of Russian planes such as Migs and Sukhoi’s. And a number of German WW2 planes. You need two full days to take it all in. Plenty of parking, toilets and a rather mediocre lunch cafeteria are available. Entrance is free! The best things in life are free.

For all aviation buffs of all ages. The National Museum of the U S Airforce, Dayton, Ohio is a must visit. Aviations enthusiasts can enjoy the place, especially for its seamlessly arranged aircraft displays, the excellent write-ups explaining in detail the technical aspects of the aircraft. An educational tour de force on Aviation. Congratulations to the people who put this Museum in Place.

Awesome. Huge! Been going here for years. I might as well become a volunteer. Lol.
Be prepared to walk. Stop, and read the displays.

An absolute Must See for anyone with even a casual interest in aviation history (military AND civilian aviation). Huge collection of aircraft and related artifacts. Both awe-inspiring and, at times, deeply sobering. It would take 2 full days just to read all the posters and watch the videos, let alone taking time to look at all the 'flying machines'. I spent 7 hours and did not come close to seeing everything inside.....and missed all the outdoor exhibits. I'll be going back again!

Follow the suggested path (map available on the Museum's website), but don't be afraid to double back to catch displays you missed- or to grab a bite at the cafeteria. The smaller snack bar (at Cold War Gallery) is closed Tues-Weds these days.

Our teenager was not too excited to be touring any museum. This one caught his attention after we started reading incredible engineering & acts of heroism. We all loved seeing so many planes! The displays were thoughtfully arranged. The horrors of Vietnam POWs were brought to light in as respectful a way as possible. So impactful. We planned one day and are coming back the next day because we found this museum so intriguing and yet missed a whole hangar! So inspiring to read stories of heroism! Not a museum anyone should miss! History in easy-to-grasp displays.

The National Museum of the Air Force is a great venue to view all eras of aviation. They have numerous galleries spread out over multiple buildings. From the Early Years of Flight to Space there are hundreds of displays and exhibits to see. We really enjoyed the Presidential Planes over the years. The Air Force One 707 was really an interesting plane to explore after seeing earlier version of Presidential Aircraft particularly the Independence, Harry Trumans plane. Also included are Helecopters and smaller aircraft from the Presidential Fleet. There is Missle Gallery that we were able to view with a guide describing what we were looking at in the room. I really liked the Missle Launch Control Room. The Space Gallery was great to look at and the Aircraft to tour were always great to see. The museum had vehicles to view as well as well as weapons to view. This is a very large museum so take your time and enjoy the exhibits. Admission is free but if you want a map they ask for a donation. Parking is easy and food is available onsite. We had the pizza which was prepared to order. The staff was a little stand offish. They would not hand change except through a basket at the checkout and were not engaging with customers at all. The food was good. The restaurant has a cafeteria feel and was loud with a number of children running around. They do have a gift shop with a very good selection of souvenirs. Prices were a little high in my opinion. For a fee you can use the simulators and they have movies as well. There is a great deal of walking and some of the aircraft have airstrairs to climb. Take you time use the ample seating area to rest and enjoy the atmosphere. We would highly recommend this museum.

You have to pay very high amount in the cafe and the gift shop. There are very large exhibits that takes whole day just fir cursory glance.

Wow. This museum is absolutely incredible. Like the title says, set aside 3 days to be able to see everything and fully appreciate it. We were there for one day and only saw less than half of it.
There are exhibits that encompass everything from the very beginnings of the Air Force all the way through to the space age. This includes experimental aircraft as well as the actual vehicles used in space.
I've been to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum and this is far better in my opinion.
There are free guided tours throughout the day among the 4 sections of the museum. Our tour guide, Jim, was very knowledgeable about all of this and willing to answer any questions.
There are aircraft that you can walk through as well. Including JFK's Air Force One. It's very emotional and moving to stand in the same place his casket rested.
And be prepared to be absolutely blown away by the missile room.
Admission and parking are free.

So much history at one place! If your into aviation this place is for you. To much to see in one day unless you hurry through. I definitely hope to be back! And it’s free.

Best place i have ever been to. And i was there three times during my two weeks long business travel in ohio, so exited i was.

Get ready to walk! FREE admission. Handicap accessible, they'll provide a scooter or mobile aid if needed. They also have strollers. Very large, beautiful, historical museum. Wonderful experience for history buffs, plane lovers, or someone who wants to learn. Everyone is welcome. Employees are very helpful, information desks located in each hanger, don't be afraid to ask questions. So much to see, read and experience. Too much to list here, but all of it is worth it. Be prepared to spend the entire day being amazed. There's almost no way to see everything in one day, research before you go so you can see what you are interested in first. There are guided tours in each area. Clean restrooms through out the facility. Two restaurants inside, both have excellent foods, snacks and beverages, affordable prices. Great family adventure, kiddos have plenty to do and see. Senior Citizens are respected and appreciated. Great for any season, outdoor things for spring and summer, plenty inside during winter or rain. Fun and affordable gift shop. IMAX theatre.

Must-see museum. You will be able to see all the planes that flew within the USAF. Also prototype presidential aircraft. Only Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential plane was accessible. Plan a good pair of walking shoes. Many drinking water points to fill the bottles if needed. 2 days to visit everything properly.

This place was HUGE! 4 plus military hangars worth of exhibits. Planes from all eras - as well as exhibits on the Holocaust, the Vietnam POWs coming home, the space shuttle, operations in the desert and Steampunk!

Several Air Force One planes were on display including the one used by Truman, JFK, LBJ and Nixon. So much history!

We didn't get to the displays outside.

Definitely wear your walking shoes.

Went to the museum at opening and would up staying all day leaving just before closing. The museum offers tours through out the day. I recommend going on one to learn about the planes and people. There is a gift shop and a café.

Astounding! This is a huge collection of huge military aircraft. The placement and displays are well done. If you have a traveling companion that likes to read everything, don’t worry, there’s not a ton to read compared to other museums.
Very family friendly, easy wheelchair access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and scooters free to use on site. Nursing pods, accessible restrooms in each hanger.
It was almost 100° outside and the temperature was quite comfortable inside.

The amount of discovery here is awesome!!!! I never knew captured airmen were sent to concentration camps during WWII.

This place is worth visiting.
If you are coming here this is surely one of the places to fisit first for sure.
Always something interesting

A full day’s worth of things to see. If you are interested in the history of flight this is the place. Friendly knowledgeable docents and well organized and displayed artifacts, planes and related things like aircraft engines and rockets. Very impressed and well worth the drive to Dayton.

WOW - my third (or 4th) time there - ITS TOO MUCH. Its too Big -= Too much stuff to see. I could live there!!!

What a great way to see history. You walk from the start of aviation through every era of wars and conflicts where the Air Force has a footprint. Great displays, beautiful aircraft, great way to spend the day.

If you are interested in aviation history than you must visit USAF Dayton aviation museum, cover from birth of aviation till present all major era like WWI, II, Korea, vietnam etc. It’s also has a number of displays of Soviet era planes

Best tourist attraction in Ohio, and a living history of the United States Air Force. An absolute must for Americans and lovers of history. Especially military history fans.

We had only a couple of hours and we learned that it was not enough time to fully appreciate this museum. So much to see! They have done a great job of arranging and organizing displays. I appreciated the guides at various locations to answer questions and make suggestions. Highly recommend and wonderful that is is free!

This was an amazing place. You defiantly need an entire day to see everything. Admission free but for a donation they will give you a site map that really helps out if you only want to see specific things.

This museum is huge. And it's free! It has great displays on pretty much anything relating to aviation history. The Didactics are well written and informative. We especially liked the displays about women and diversity. We spent over 2 hours & didn't see everything. We'll definitely go back.

We went to the museum in Dayton, OH on a Saturday with our family. It was very busy, but we didn’t mind that. It was free for admission and they just asked for donations at the entrance. It’s awesome that this is free to the public. There was plenty to look at and everything was very well maintained. There were lots of things to do and exhibits to view. We were confused about how to get “stamps” for the kids so we ended up not doing that. There was staff around, but they were not very friendly. We also bought tickets for the extra’s at the beginning up front for the simulation rides. It was huge and it took a long time to get through everything which we aren’t complaining about, just set out plenty of time to view this museum as it is huge and you don’t want to miss seeing it all! We did not get to utilize the tickets unfortunately on the day we went because they had to evacuate the entire museum for a fire as the alarm was sounding. Then we found out the tickets were both non refundable and also expired on the day you bought them. So that was a bummer. Overall it’s worth the long drive, but do not buy tickets early. Wait until you get to the simulations to do so! Great family day trip!

This was a great museum. We spent 4 plus hours there. Lots to see!!
My best suggestion, wear, your best walking shoes.
Well worth your time!!

Ah, NOW I see why the Defense budget is always a bazillion dollars. Soooo many different planes to see. Spans the entire history of planes from the wood and canvas of The Wright Brothers all the way up to the current stealth flying machines and bombs of today. HUGE hangars are filled with planes and uniforms and other articles of military life. Very interesting museum to visit. Especially enjoyed touring Ari Force One !!

I had just back surgery and my daughter, husband, and grandkids took me to get out of the house, I enjoy it and I got to see thing it I haven't seen before. but the food was very prices. but I had fun

The US Airforce Museum - just incredible. The exhibits are amazing - so much and all displayed beautifully - something for everyone no matter what your level of interest. They explain about the type of plane and the actual plane on display and they've done a great job of keeping it interesting. The acknowledgement of the journey, contributions and role of woman in the Air Force is also really well done - integrated throughout (no token effort). Lots of friendly and knowledgeable staff - the place is free as are the tours. The design is great with a corridor up the middle so you don’t get stuck at the far side of a loop. It it the most accessible place I’ve ever been to. So much space, temperature controlled, smooth floors, heaps of wheelchairs and mobility scooters if you need them, lots of bathrooms. Super clean. The only negative is the food - the options are a bit limited and they didn't really seem to have enough. A plane enthusiast can easily spend several days here so a bit more on offer on the food front wouldn't go astray. My husband loves planes so we came for 3 full days. My 11yo son and I went for the first day and a half and were far from bored - they have interactive activites for $10pp and we did them all - I would recommend the Virtual reality and they have movies but we didn't see those. We dined at Spaghetti Warehouse and Dewes Pizza straight afterwards int he evenings and would recommend both. If you can stay in the University / Oakwood area you will feel more of a vibe - Dayton is very empty so driving here is easy - we were glad to have hired a car.

Plan on committing at least two days, and it isn't likely that you will see all you want or can see. At entrance, directed to "an information desk" which seemed to be a donation solicitation desk (donations are called for). With 6 hours barefly did justice to WWI section.Air ehicles, engines, restored and preserved. Labels authored with essential characteristics, content, and evolution. Compelling stories of heroism and life's artifacts. Technology complements traditional museum approach. Apolitical coverage on diversity and equality (well done!). Only covered two of four buildings in chronological order. Docent tours available, announced on a P.A. system. This will be a very moving experience. Exhibits to appeal to varied interests. Huge gift shop. EV charger (4 in parking lot.

This museum is incredible if you love planes, and for those that don't it should make you. The sheer breadth and depth of the collection is incredible. My favourite all time, the remaining XB-70 Valkyrie, the Memphis Belle, DeHavilland Mosquito, Blackbird, U2, B52, the list is endless. I was short of time but could have spent 2-3x longer.

So much history! We spent two days here with the kids. Had I been alone I think it would take 3-4 days to stop and read all the history here. Kids loved it. We will be going back this coming weekend for Rocket Day so the kids can build and launch a rocket.

The National Museum of the Air Force is huge. My husband and I first visited the museum in 2015. We had spent the night in the area and thought we would "pop-in" and check out the museum before we left. We were not prepared. We ended up spending hours in the museum and didn't even get to see everything.

The collection is MASSIVE. There is pretty much one of every model of aircraft that was ever part of the Air Force inventory. There are some rare finds pieces in the collection to, like Bock's Car and two twin mustangs. On my second visit, I was able to make it through the entire museum, but it took me four hours. If you visit, plan on spending a full day here.

We were passing through on our way home so we only got to spend a few hours before closing. We have been to the Smithsonian Air and Space in DC as well as to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center so we thought 2 hours was going to be enough but as other people have mentioned, I suggest at least spending 1 to 2 days here. We really wished we had more time to explore all the hangars and outside exhibits as well as read all the personal stories of the men and women who fought for our freedom. The museum is rich in history and I highly recommend spending the time to learn about our history which has brough us here. We will certainly come back!!

The National Air Force is easily visited as a day trip from nearby Columbus or Cincinnati. The displays rival the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, only more extensive - 4 hangars full, plus more outdoors. Expect to spend several hours visiting. Each hangar is dedicated to a particular aviation time period. There are movies (extra cost) and free tours. We attended a tour of the first hangar (early aviation through the world wars) and it was outstanding. We also watched the movie on D-Day - also great. Food is available, but the selection is limited and the quality is marginal. There is an extensive gift shop full of games, puzzles, and souvenirs for the children. Not to be missed.

Wow! I had no idea what I was in for when going to this museum. It is massive! It consists of four hangars that are separated by eras in flight. The bad news is even if you are there for the entire day, you won"t likely see it all. The museum is free and they offer free tours of each of the hangars at appointed times throughout the day. For us, that was the way to go. We did 3 of the 4 guided tours to be able to see the highlights. We did the last hangar on our own. They have a grab and go lunch area/snack bar and a very large gift shop. There was plenty of parking, and I highly recommend good walking shoes as it is all concrete floor. Plan on spending the entire day. There is that much to see.

Wow! What can one really say about this place. One, it's free! Two, they have just about every US aircraft ever flown including several prototypes that never went into mass production. If you stopped and read every display, you'd be in here all day. There are also some videos monitors throughout the museum. Three, there's way more aircraft than you would expect because some are elevated so wings can overlap. Did I mention it's free! Huge parking lot as lots of the local schools do field trips here.

Realistically, you could cruise through all the of the museum in about an hour. But you'd have to skip reading and watching all the displays and monitors. I believe there's also a theater or auditorium inside. If you're an military aircraft lover and take your time, you should expect to be here 2-3 hours. Of course the facility is ADA compliant with the exception of a few elevated displays. There's a nice little gift shop right as you exit. If you like airplanes, you're gonna really enjoy this place!

Next to the main entrance is a memorial park. It's worth cruising through and reading some of the dedications. Don't pass this up. Unfortunately, it's not laid out sequentially. So to see them all means jumping around.

The National Museum of the US Air Force is a treasure worth an entire day for anyone with the energy to take it all in. We wimped out at 6 hours, but what a great 6 hours! The aircraft are fabulous and so well displayed within the context of their place in history. Each hanger is devoted to a different era of aircraft history. My favorites were the early years, WWII, and the presidential planes, but every hanger is worthy of inspection and learning. If we lived closer, I'm sure we would make multiple visits.

We had a wonderful day at this museum! Free admission is way too generous for all the displays. All the exhibits are so well done!!!Thank You USAF!

Incredible place to see all the vintage aircraft. Watched a IMAX movie. Really good. Amazing! It's free . Wish we had two days . Worth going!

We originally were going to the Wright Museum and ended up here first. What an amazing museum! The number of aircraft is astounding and the history is overwhelming. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in aviation!

My wife and I took two guided tours, THE EARLY YEARS and KOREA/SOUTHEAST ASIA, with Don. Don was very informative and we learned a lot of background information that we would have never known had we not taken the tours. The tours do not cover every single aircraft at the museum which would be impossible in the allotted time but you do see specific aircraft for each tour and get the relevant background information. It would probably take a minimum of 2-3 full days to see everything and read all the background information available. And it's all available with free admission and parking!

If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would! Don’t miss this wonderful museum of the history of air crafts. We had planned a few hours but spent 6 hour! If you love war history and read all the displays plan more than 1 day! Free admission but pay for the simulator and the movies but worth every penny! Never knew this museum was here and have been to the Pensacola Naval Museum and this was even bigger and better even though we enjoyed that too! The volunteer are full of knowledge and are so kind to spend time sharing their information.

A very nicely laid out museum. From the beginning of aviation to modern times. Technically very interesting. Also very good descriptions of the exhibits.

This museum had it all! Growing up in an Air Force family, born on a base myself, I have always loved anything Air Force. What a breath of fresh air to see all the planes frozen in time for all to see. Some hanging, some grounded…simply remarkable! Scenes set up to lead you into a story of sorts. Even a presidential section including Air Force One. A space shuttle that can be walked into. What is also amazing is that there are pieces of history mixed within. The Berlin Wall, pieces here and there. The Holocaust, a story in history that tells its own tale. I could easily come back again and again and always see something different. Whether it be something I have never noticed before or even just a totally different perspective. If you love the Air Force, aviation or the military in general, you will want to visit.

It had been more than 10 years since we visited and there have been major changes. We had limited time so spent the morning exploring sections 4 and 3. 4 is brand new. Loved seeing the IBMs. All the experimental planes were sharp. There is just the right amount of information given on each of them. You do not need to be into flying or war history to enjoy this place. Only disappointment was the mock up of the space shuttle. There are interactive experiences, but get there early or you will wait in line.

Add my 5.0 to the long list of them. Wonderful museum that we spent over two hours at and didn't even get through half of it. Very cool exhibits, planes, jets and interactive. Wonderful people greeting us and free, although they ask for a donation which we gladly gave. I can see a couple interested in aircraft easily spending 4-5 hour there.

Oh my goodness! What a place! We brought my 96 year old dad to see the museum in August 2021. He is an aviation nut. I was surprised that admission is free and dad was able to rent one of their motorized scooters for free too (way to large for a 96 year old person to walk). This museum dwarfs the air museums at the Smithsonian. It is set up very well by era, war etc. and it is in 4 large hangars. My dad used to be a docent at the Udvar-Hazy air and space museum in Dulles, VA. Several of the docents came to speak with dad and the director also found us and spent quite a bit of time with dad too. We so appreciated the attention given to him. The museum has a lot of airplanes obviously but also a lot of artifacts, uniforms etc and videos throughout.
I wish there were more food options as the Museum doesn't have any really close restaurants and we were pretty hungry when we left.
We came back a second day as 5 hours the first day was not enough to get through it all.

An extensive display of air and space craft. The military planes are grouped by wars. I saw a US Air Force F-4 Phantom that struck my ship and 2 others with missiles during nighttime action in the Vietnam War. There is an interesting display of an experimental circular aircraft resembling a flying saucer. Walk-throughs of the retired presidential planes are restricted to visitors who can walk through tight spaces. The aisles are lined with plexiglass walls. If you want to see everything on display, plus the movies, plan on a 2-day visit. The is a cafeteria on site, selling cold sandwiches and snacks.

So much to see and so little time! 4 hangers full of airplanes so plan ahead so you have time to see it all. Admission is free and there are free scooters/wheelchairs for those who may need it. You can walk through 4 past president's planes plus some other cargo and transport planes. The exhibits go from 1909 through the present and include some NASA rockets and a shuttle.

This was one of the most exciting places I've ever toured! Plan on spending all day or better yet 2-3 days. Very informative and rich in military history! Highly recommend!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The National Museum of the US Air Force was on my bucket list and it did not disappoint. We stayed across the street at a Comfort Inn which was a wise move. We got there about 9:30 and stayed until 5:00. I wish we had time to see the movies as I understand they are outstanding. Where else outside of the Air & Space Museum at Dulles are you going to find so many important aircraft? Oh, and the cost..... FREE ISN'T BAD! Oh, and not far away and accessible to the public is the landing field the Wright Brothers used for their Dayton flights. This was on my bucket list and I live in Seattle- It was worth it! Oh, and make sure you go to Carillon to see the Wright Flyer III!

This is an extraordinary place - about 1 million square feet of display space with an incredible collection of airplanes. Plan to spend an entire day to see it all. The food service is very limited (although that may be better when the cafe is rebuilt) and there is a bit more propoganda than one would like in a museum, but it is absolutely worth the journey for anyone interested in airplanes.

A bit overwhelming
must have been over 100 airplanes inside massive buildings
plaques described every plane, its origin and its use
entrance ifs free

Second trip to this museum and still exciting to walk around. Admission is Free. So many airplanes in this large facility. Most exciting part is walking through old Presidential airplanes, especially the one that brought Kennedy back from Texas. Small snack bar with pre-made food and drinks available.

We saw this Air Force/aviation Museum in National Park Service literature and without a doubt, I wanted to go.
We thought we would be there 2 or 3 hours. We were there about 4 and I would have stayed longer but we had plans that evening and needed to get on the road.
The Museum is free and you can also venture outside where there are other aircraft, which you can walk through. We were visiting on a hot day and arrived after noon, so we were cautious about spending time walking through a metal fusilage that had hours to get "toasty". Perhaps next trip.
The museum can (and should) be walked through chronologically, from early ballooning to manned-flight to space exploration, missile history and unmanned aircraft, like drones.
Learned a great deal. Paying for a simulator, I learned I cannot fly, nor aim armaments of a modern fighter jet! It was fun and have more respect for the training and dedication that our airmen, Naval aviators, and Marines, Army, Coast Guard go through.
Great Museum and friendly, knowledgeable staff.
P.S. Natinal Parks Passport enthusiasts: The desk to the left of main entry has the stamps you seek.

Honestly if you are not into planes, history or war this is probably not your cup of tea. It is a very LARGE 5 building museum. They do have scooters and wheel chairs. If you struggle to walk any distance go ahead and get one at the front u will wish u had. We walked non stop for 1 hour. My fave part was being able to go into the AF one. The restoration on the exhibits are excellent.

My wife and I visited the USAF Museum and were very impressed with all of the pictures and memorabilia of women in the Air Force. Especially their efforts during WWII. Truly a remarkable visit.

Friends told us this is a bucket list place so we decided to visit. It is not located on Wright-Patterson AFB but adjacent to it. There is plenty of parking. You must go through security/bag check but admission is free. There is a cost for 3-D movies and flight simulator rides. If you go early it is not as crowded.

The museum is huge with four hangars filled with different era airplanes, missiles, space crafts etc. The displays and movies are well done. We were able to see just about everything in two full days. The Presidential planes that you can walk through was a favorite exhibit as well as the Cold War era planes. There are two cafes with fast food type fare and a nice gift shop.

Wear your walking shoes and bring a water bottle (allowed). They do rent motorized wheel chairs if you need one and there are elevators but many planes have stairs leading inside.

Being an Air Force dependent, this museum brought back memories. If you love planes and history you will love this place. Very impressive!

Awesome Museum!!! 14 acres under roof. You could spend days here. Friendly staff. This is the Mecca for aviation and American History!

This was a treat. The facility is huge: four hangars housing some amazing airplanes. We chose to move through them chronologically, which is roughly how the building is arranged. We had fun observing the changes in technology over time, and discussing the historical context of some of the airplanes. Highlights included the "early years" section, where we spent way too much time reading all the fascinating background information posted at each exhibit, Bockscar, the bomber that dropped the second atomic bomb to end WW II, and the B2 bomber, the scale of which has to be seen in person.
Wear a good pair of walking shoes. We logged almost 4 miles of walking, all of it on the concrete floor of the museum. It was too humid and hot for us to enjoy the outdoor exhibits, but honestly there was so much to take in without those that it was only a small sacrifice to save those for another visit.

Love that this is a free opportunity to experience in Dayton. We’re not ones to read a lot of the signage or watch movies, etc. so it only took us about 2 hrs to go through everything. It’s definitely a great experience though.

If you like aircraft you will love this place. It was easy to find, and has plenty of free parking, even if you have a camper. Entry to the museum is free as well. They have so much to see here. The aircraft are displayed very well. They have so much you just need to go!

Took my two teens and my seven year old here. While my teens were less than impressed, my seven year old and myself loved it.

Impressive collection of air craft, military and aerospace equipment. So much to see that we didn’t have enough time to see it all. We’ll have to make a return trip. There were Black Hawk helicopters on the field that they allowed us to sit in and take pictures.

This place was huge. It will take you 3 to 4 hours to properly see things. This museum has all kind of airplanes through history. There are a lot of military planes and other exhibits. I especially like the exhibit on the Tuskegee Airmen. You might want to eat before you go there because the snacks were not the greatest. A fun full day for all ages and sizes. There is a lot of historical information for history buffs. This is a must see for all airplane enthusiasts.

Amazing museum,that is worth a special trip just to this see this aviation museum. I live by E.A. A Osh Kosh and this blows that wonderful museum out of the water. This museum is huge and free. Parking is free! We spent at least 4 hours there.

If I was with adults only (went with 3 of my sons) and lingering to read everything and soak in the details, you could easily spend two days here. This is the museum to go to if you love aviation or military history. The also had a great selection of space related items and the Presidential area including the retired Air Force 1 was historical and poignant.

While I appreciate airplanes, I wasn't sure this museum would take much of our time. (I was here in 1981 or so and just remember some airplanes. I was 11) My dad and my father-in-law were both in the Air Force and we were here in Dayton, so I thought we'd better go. We spent 3 hours and could have easily spent another two. Even if you aren't interested in the aircrafts, there is so much history. We had recently been to the Normandy coast and loved all the D-Day history. The Aviation Hall of Fame is a great chronological history--and kid friendly (even for my 19 and 21-year-olds). You can be in an astronaut suit and practice landing an airplane on an aircraft carrier. The presidential airplanes were fascinating. So much to see--make sure you have lots of time.

Excellent variety of a century's worth of military and experimental aircraft. Historic information of lesser known events, even for those of us with common knowledge of the great wars. Simulators and Space exhibit as well. Having been here three times, I'm at a loss to explain why exit 44A is recommended from the West, and have somehow missed a sign for a right turn onto Harshman Rd. twice(!), ending up in downtown Dayton.

There is such a wealth of information and beauty in this museum. The layout is in chronological order, so follow the map. The exhibits and planes are beautiful. We did not plan enough time, so we will be back. Our teen boys enjoyed all the history.

This museum really should be a 2 day explore. It is so large with so much to see that you shouldn’t miss any of it. And it’s a lot of walking. But it is worth every step. You will leave full of lots of information and a deeper pride in our amazing country. The section from the Vietnam era was so amazing. The men and women who fought in that war were certainly shortchanged on a proper welcome home. There were stories and pictures of young people who gave their all for each of us. And they never even got a proper thank you. There were lots of activities for kids and adults alike. The sections on WWII and Korea, and the modern space age boggled the mind. Well worth the trip!

This is a very large musem that houses lots of airplanes in 4 very large buildings. There is quite a bit of walking reqired but there are scooters available if you can't walk that far. There is a small plaque in front of most planes but there are so many planes that cover from the Wright Brothers and most wars we have been in that, overall, a minimum of history is presented.. Even so, it takes a good 2 hours just walk through the hangars without spending too much time reading. There is little that tells you anything technical about the airplanes and reasons why there are so many different designs...what did each one do differently. I thought the highlights were the Memphis Belle, Bocks Car (dropped Nagasaki bomb) and Presidential Plane that brought back Kennedy. Too many airplanes with too little information. If you just want to look, it's good - if you want to lean, you'll have learn elsewhere.

I’m not a huge military history person but this place is awesome. It’s so cool that it’s free and there’s free parking too. The museum itself is absolutely massive and you could easily spend an entire day here. My friends and I spent about two hours here and saw most of it. My favorite section was the space section and the presidential area. Definitely a family friendly spot!

We had a wonderful time at the museum. We went in 2020 and came back this year—we were not disappointed! Excellent displays and information for all ages. The youngest child in our group was 7 and the oldest was 15. Everyone enjoyed it. We walked 8000 steps and it took about 3 hours. It’s HUGE so we saw about 75% of the displays and read about 5% of the placards. There is so much to see!! Our favorite (and the most interactive) were the Presidential and Space exhibits (they were the farthest walk in but totally with it).

Other awesome things: Free parking. Excellent museum guides. Plenty of bathrooms. Chairs for sitting and giving your feet a break. Flight simulators (for an extra fee). Snack bar. Guided tours announced overhead (a few daily). Electric scooters and strollers available. Easy security check in process.

Bonus: There are also outdoor aircraft and memorials to spend time at if you want kids to get out some extra wiggles!

This is a hidden gem! We were driving from Iowa to NYC and Dayton was a good distance to drive for the day. Decided to check out the museum. Did not expect much, thought we could spend a couple
Of hours before we hit the road again. We were so wrong! Very cool place! And it’s big! We could have easily spent most of the day! Fortunately they have guides as you walk in that help you plan your visit. We were able to walk through all of the galleria and spend the time we wanted touring the presidential and WWII aircraft. Now, we would make a trip to Dayton just for this! Definitely going back!

Simply the best aviation museum in the world by far and it’s free! Labelling is excellent, veterans are informative and enthusiastic. Worth a day of anyone’s time, but for enthusiasts we spent 3.5 days in there! Just incredible fastest aircraft ever built X-15 and flown by Neil Armstrong, Airforce One on which Johnson sworn in as president, B 29 that dropped second atom bomb…it just goes on and on.

Extraordinary museum. You need a good day to visit everything from the beginnings of aviation to the conquest of space. A special mention for the space shuttle landing simulator or the visit to the old Air Force One (planes of American presidents). What’s more, the museum is FREE.

Huge museum. Expect a walk from the parking lot. Special, closer parking lot if you have a handicap tag. Lots of walking; wear comfortable shoes.

Free but a donation (of any amount) is requested if you want a map, and you want a map.

I loved the Holocaust exhibit right near the entrance. Wanted to read every placard and study every photo. One of the best Holocaust exhibits I've seen, and I've seen many. It's always special when a Holocaust museum features locals who live in the city and tells their personal story. I'm so glad this exhibit was included in the Air Force museum.

My husband enjoyed the Air Force exhibits more than I did. We separated and spent our time in different exhibits, since we have different interests. I spent most of my time in the Holocaust, space exploration and presidential airplane exhibits. My husband spent his time in the history of aviation and World Wars exhibits.

I don't believe it's possible to see all exhibits in one visit, so pick and choose your favorite exhibits, as we did.

We have been to many Air & Space museums and this one is at the TOP of our list! It was truly an amazing experience and we will be visiting again this week with our daughter who is in the military. There is so much history here along with the gorgeous planes to go with it. Just when you think you are done, the hangers and display rooms just keep going and going!! Bring some good walking shoes for sure. There are volunteers around to ask questions. A must see in Dayton for history buffs or military lovers!

Worth the visit to Dayton, even if you are not an aviation geek. The staff is warm and professional, extremely polite in reminding all visitors to wear face coverings. The Presidential plane exhibit was new since our last visit. The JFK plane and walk through brought history to life for those of us alive on 22 November 1963.

What an amazing museum! I had no idea that this museum was located here and I am so grateful that we were able to find it on a rainy day. The museum is made up of four aircraft hangars that are PACKED with the complete history for flight. From the Wright Brothers to Space Exploration there was EVERYTHING! The best part about it was that it is FREE! My family easily spend 3-4 hours here and we cold have spent longer.

My wife and I had long planned a trip to the Columbus Zoo and we did go there for two days. On the way back as a little side trip, we stopped at the Air Force Museum. I was definitely looking forward to seeing the President area where Air Force one that JFK flew in and LBJ was sworn in on was located. Basically almost every aircraft that the United States Air Force has flown can be found here from the P51 mustang to the huge C-17 located outside at the growing Air Park. Plan on walking a lot as the planes are located in a few giant hangars we ended up doing 3.5 miles. Take advantage of the certain aircraft you can walk through. Everyone of all ages will enjoy this museum!!

Huge place, go for at least 2 hours - you wander from building to building and see all generations of aviation. Really worth the visit. IMHO, no need to buy the ticket for the "events" which look to be rides and/or movies. Plenty to see and do without that.

Way too much to see in a day. Great displays and extremely knowledgeable folks at the information desks. Food was pricey (but good) in the cafe.

I had heard wonderful things about this museum other the years and it more than lived up to its expectations! This museum is a wonderful tribute to the Airforce and the WILD BLUE YONDER! The collection of planes found in 4 HUGE hangers was spectacular. The museum starts with the Wright Brothers and early flight then incorporates the military. From the US ARMY AIRCORPS to present US AIRFORCE the collections of planes and memorabilia are amazing to see. My personal favorites were the hallway that featured a display of the events of the BERLIN AIRLIFT { my dad was in the AIRFORCE and there when that occurred} and of course the PRESIDENTIAL PLANES in Hanger 4. You can walk through several of those including the AIRFORCE ONE that flew back President John Kennedys body after he was assassinated and where Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office { it actually gave me chills} We spent 45 minutes shy of the entire day there and still didnt see everything!!!
The museum is free to tour with the exception if you want to watch the 3 D movies or do the simulators{we didnt} . The staff is helpful and Bill who was the volunteer with the Presidential Planes was exceptional with his knowledge and took time to show us special features and took our pictures! The gift shop is large , a bit pricy but has a great variety of books, childrens items, etc. There is a cafeteria there as well which is where we ate lunch since there are no nearby restaurants. It is a bit pricy , food is average but if you spent the day there like we did you will need to eat. One other nice feature is there are scooters you can use if you have mobility issues for free{ it did and it was so helpful!!
Would recommend this museum to any history lover, active duty military or veteran . You definetely want to spend the day there if you want to see the museums contents or a day and a half if you want to tour it and do the other activities. Parking is also close and free! Happy 75th Anniversary US AIRFORCE!!

Such a fun place!! We did not have a lot of time to explore but we want to go back so we can spend more time there. Best part about this place is its Free!!

Start at the BACK of the exhibits (hangar 4) and work your way forward. That way, as you see the exhibits and start to tire out, the entrance isn't 3 buildings over! Also, plan for at LEAST two full 8-hour days to see everything. There is too much to take in in just a few hours. We were only there for about 4 hours, and didn't get out of the 4th building, so we didn't see most of what was there, but what we DID see was just amazing.

Took my group of Boy Scouts to the Museum. It was a really fun time. Very informative, great displays, impressive collection. Everyone had a great time. The movies were great as well. Everyone would like to visit again. There was a lady that helped us with tickets and the dog tags who was very gracious and patient as we dealt with 16 teenage boys in figuring out what they wanted on their dog tags. Nice gift shop.

If you ever made a paper airplane and wished you could fly... check this place out!
Dayton OH. The home of aviation, the very spot Orville and Wilber perfected flight, how appropriate. You will find everything and I do mean everything that flies or streaks across the heavens.
If you don't like it they will give you your money back... its free !

This place is mind blowing! There is so much to see that there's no way that a person can visit every hanger in one day. I highly recommend finding the offered tour guides and then circling back to see everything else. Each one brings personal experience to their tour. What's even better is when a retired pilot happens to be a tourist and joins the conversation! If you really want to look at and read everything that is offered, expect to spend at least two full days there. I highly recommend it.

On a side note, food is available but they were remodeling the restaurant so packaged sandwiches and beverages were available for purchase at a smaller cafe.

Hands-down, a fantastic museum! We were on a very tight schedule and only gave ourselves about 2.5 hours to see what I considered the must-see air and spacecraft. We had a great interaction with one of the volunteers in Hangar 4 that was very friendly and even had a personal story to share regarding the 707 Airforce One aircraft. We would definately suggest to plan to visit with 3.5-6 hours available. More if you are a true aircraft enthusiast like myself. We just had a narrow window to visit, so we will return again one day.

While the planes are why I went there, the museum is much, much more! There are exhibits in this museum that do not exist anywhere else in the world! Detailed information on exhibits (Berlin airlift--didn't know we hauled coal and salt along with food and candy bars) are very well done and there is something for everyone here. Direct flights to Columbus, OH are available and the drive is not bad to Dayton. Dayton is an old town and is worth a couple of hours driving around town to see what there is to see. I found it VERY helpful to look at the many YouTube videos on the museum BEFORE you go to plan your day! EAT BEFORE YOU GO or they do allow sandwiches in. Dining options are VERY limited. I spent 6 hours there and another 3 the next day. Figure out what interests you most, hit it first, then try to catch the rest. Visiting the museum was a "bucket list" item and I'll do it again!

Planes, planes, and more planes! It would be hard to think of a USAF airplane that is not represent here. They have everything from a 1090 Wight Flyer to a B2 stealth bomber and F22 fighter. The museum also has unique/historic aircraft such as the B17 Memphis Belle, a replica Doolittle Raider B25, different presidential Air Force Ones from FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy-Bush. There are vignettes to many air and space related events, as well as a grouping to Vietnam POWs.
We spent 6-1/2 hours at the museum and could have seen more… there is so much. It is a full day’s worth of aviation/military history and it’s FREE!

Met up with my former USAF roommate with our wives. I visited here probably in the 60’s as a child. It is great! Everyone should go.

Blown Away! This was huge! Let me say it again, HUGE! Entry is free and there are docents in each section to add to your experience. There are so many planes it is unbelievable. Each section is defined by a time period or topic. (presidential, WWII, etc.) There is a missile silo in the center with actual missiles. Benches are everywhere because you are covering alot of ground and need to rest. There are abundant rest rooms. The facility is sparkling clean as you would expect. The gift shop could compete with Disney. Anything you can imagine is there. Plan to return again and again.

Bucket list visit… the most incredible air museum and worthy of any aviation nuts efforts to get there. As an overseas visitor it’s a pain to reach as you’ll need to hub before flying on to Dayton but once reached totally worth it ( I went via DC so was able to also take in the Smithsonian air and Space museum very close by to the airport)
As you bf would expect from the USAF the museum itself has a simply amazing collection spread over themed halls.. everything from pioneers of flight to the x planes and ballistic missiles. I took two days to see and do it justice… but you could ‘see’ it in a day. There’s are aircraft here you won’t find anywhere else in the world -so if it’s your thing…make the effort you won’t regret it.

This museum is by far one of my most favorite places to visit (at least once a year). These planes will take your breath away!! There are 4 humungous hangers in which you walk through (leave plenty of time, at least 3 hours) or you can get a scooter or wheelchair for those who need it (I use one every time due to my feet, it's great!). Each hanger is a different time period, in addition to a lot of history on "walls" and platforms. I could spend the whole day here. One of my favorites is the last hanger, where the space related planes are as well as other memorabilia. There is a very nice, large gift shop in addition to a cafe and a big screen theatre to watch some movies or documentaries (they change from time to time and there is a small fee to watch). Since this museum is free admission, I always want to patronize in purchasing something, whether it be in the store or at the theatre. I always check their homepage to see what calendar of events they are having. I HIGHLY recommend anyone who has an appreciation for our history of the US as well as planes in general to see this. My husband was in the Air Force and he loves this place! The planes inside are beautifully restored and will make your jaw drop! There are also many historical planes housed here, ones that fought in battle, so don't miss them! Outside, there are some planes as well to see on nice, sunny days. If you are planning to go to Ohio, this is a place you will NOT want to miss. I live 2 hours away and look forward to my visits every year.

Incredible museum covering all aspects of Aviation, with a replica of the Wright Brother's plane to the German rocket assisted bombs and all the planes of WWII to modern day F22 and competitor advanced fighter jets from Boeing and Northrop. Plus it is 'Free', and a well justified expenditure of U.S. taxpayer $.

This is the Disneyland of plane museums. Make a trip and spend the whole day. I think every plane known to man is here. If you like history, you will love this place. Definitely worth the trip.

Lots of history and aircraft to be seen. If you want to read everything they have you could be there for days. It has changed alot since the last time I was there.

Stopped for a break during a road trip and wish we'd planned for more time. Spent a couple of hours and felt we'd barely scratched the surface. Especially enjoyed the Presidential Gallery. Highly recommend.

This is a fantastic free museum with multiple buildings full of airplanes, stories, and memorabilia. If you like aviation history, you’ll be entertained beyond your wildest dreams. The staff members and volunteers are friendly and helpful. We have been before and we will come again!

Been on my bucket list for years especially the Valkyrie Bomber prototype. So this trip to USA got the chance to travel through Dayton and very pleased I did so. Amazing museum with just so much stuff. Only very mild criticism is that bit difficult to get good photos as there is so much stuff there. Staff very friendly and helpful and knowledgeable. Struggled to get a coffee but i guess that's a Covid thing

First the positive: We LOVED all of the airplanes displayed and have nothing but the utmost respect for those who served our country in them, both in the past and currently. It was an amazing display, that we spent two days exploring. Wonderful!

Yes, the parking and museum are technically free, but upon clearing TSA level security measures (yes seriously!), you are directed to one of eight counters, where a 20 something gives you the HIGH PRESSURE sales pitch to contribute to the museum financially. Assuming you pass on that, they will NOT give you a map unless you give them money. I said I wanted to use cash for my "donation," and the guy literally followed me the 15 feet to the donation box to make sure I did in fact "donate" on my way into the museum. I do NOT like being pressured to do anything, and this was never mentioned on the website anywhere. Be Prepared.

After the map acquisition mess, we were shuttled to the mandatory photo taking session. We told them "No Thank You" and walked away from that one, but they act like it's mandatory, and it's not. This also was not mentioned on their website.

I REALLY struggled with seeing the writing on the displays. They are being "green" and have VERY dim lighting on all of the written displays, and the placards telling you about each exhibit. I used the light on my cell phone to read most of it. Why have a museum if you can not see the smaller items being displayed, and read about any of it? Totally nuts to not provide the basic lights needed to enjoy the exhibits!!!

I had read online that the Valkyrie Cafe was serving a choice of three HOT sandwiches. We had planned to eat there, but were informed by the cashier that the only offerings were cold meat sandwiches, like you would get from a gas station. We left and ate at a nearby food truck. It was very expensive and the food was not good. I strongly suggest you either bring your own picnic lunch, or plan to leave the museum for a bit to eat lunch elsewhere, if you get hungry.

The only way to exit is thru the gift shop. I found that a bit irritating..... just like Disney. I had planned to buy a few things, but it was SO expensive, that I just settled on a $25 t-shirt and left. Example: a bag of ground coffee was $38 and a shoulder bag made of canvas was $90. That's HIGHER than even Disney dares to go. Wow.

In all, I did enjoy my day, but I was shocked at how this museum is being ran. LOTS of room for improvement. I hope they get it together soon, as they will loose the younger generations attention if they don't.

I was constantly in awe at the amount of items in this museum! Several hangars full of planes, etc. It's so huge I got disoriented several times (I had no map....get a map!). I made my way to the end to the space exhibits first, as that's what I was most interested in, and worked my way back to the front. The presidential planes were amazing in that you could walk through them. JFK's plane was especially poignant. The outdoor memorial garden was nice too, but it was a bit chilly for spending too much time there on this day. Definitely make plans to go here if you have any interest at all in aviation history!

Had a few extra hours for a side trip to the Museum, should have had a few extra days. So much to see and may different and interesting planes. Something for everybody to see and do. I will be returning when I have more time. Maybe this time I will not crash the Space Shuttle. You will have to try that for yourself.

One of the best reasons to visit Dayton. If you are interested in flight, planes or history, this place has it all. From 1930's aircraft to present day, including rockets. Absolutely worth it!

I love this place. There are almost all important planes built over the decades. There are many unique prototypes which have been moved from military base near by to the new fourth hangar. All four hangars have many precious planes, divided by history time. I like all of them, however, at this time I was focusing on cold war and the newest jets. Last time I was there years ago with my younger son. He has enjoyed this place too. At this time I went alone.
I strongly recommend this museum to everybody!

RomanP

As former Air Force, and an aviation enthusiast with private pilot's license to fly, this was a must visit on my list. It is stated over 360 aircraft and missiles on display. After spending an entire day, I was able to see almost all of them. The ones I missed were hanging from the ceiling and I didn't look up often enough.... to my regret. Ideally I would have spent two days in the museum. Next time!

Brought my oldest usaf buddy here for his first visit...and he loved it. The highlite for us was seeing the only XB-70 Valyrie still in existance.....hard to see everything in one day...but now the admission is free!!!

This museum is awesome! There is so much to see and do. If you've never been here before, I highly recommend taking 2 days to thoroughly enjoy it and go over the whole museum. If you're an aircraft fanatic or history buff you must stop in this museum. The best part is it is free and you can come and go as you please.... so go out to the car and enjoy a picnic lunch and then head back inside to enjoy more of the museum.

One of the best aircraft museums! You could easily spent two days here. I liked all the old presidential aircrafts. I will definitely visit again.

We were here for a Beers & Bombers event put on by the Friends of the Museum - and it was a fantastic time wandering the Museum. This place takes you thru the history of flight from the Wright Brothers to rockets to current stealth technology. There is also space items and just so much to see and take in. We had 4 hours and just barely finished seeing everything they had to see. I love airplanes and this was worth every minute. My one buddy not a big plane fan (drove tanks in the army) noted that he couldn't believe all the had for you to see here and also noted what a good time he had visiting the museum. I highly recommend coming here!!

Glad I went!
I was staying in a hotel just down the street and decided to check out the museum. I'm more of an airline aviation follower, but this museum was a nice departure. Free admission with only fees for the movies and other extras. Be prepared to walk a lot. They do have ride on scooters for the elderly or others with mobility issues. Probably a fee to rent. I Thoroughly enjoyed it!

I came to Dayton exclusively to see the Apollo 15 Command Module. However, this museum is home to so much amazing history, that Apollo wound up being #3 of my list of favorite things that day.

First off, lets start with the price. Although donations are encouraged, it is technically free to visit this incredible museum. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and will go out of their way to help with your visit.

Now, lets talk about all that there is to see here. In short, there's basically 1 of just about every important plane ever built. From the Wright Brother's flyer, spacecraft.

Specifically though, this museum houses some of the most important plains in world history. The highlight for me, was seeing Bockscar. As in the plane that bombed Nagasaki, and arguably ended WWII. Next up we have SAM26000, or the plane that served as Kennedy's Airforce One. The plane that carried him to Dallas, served as the location of Johnson's swearing in (first Presidential oath administered by a woman), and ultimately carried Kennedy's body home from Dallas. Then we have the Apollo 15 Command Module, enough said.

You can also see icon aircraft life the F-117 Nighthawk (Steal Bomber), B2 bomber (Stealth Bomber), and the SR-71 Blackbird.

I would say that this museum is well worth a special trip if you ever find yourself within 500 miles of it.

The museum is a must see for all aviation enthusiasts. We drove 500 miles to see it and it was worth it. You need to spend about 1 1/2 days to see everything and you will be exhausted at the end.

First of all, I've spent a lot of money on rubbish that wasn't even worth half the entrance fee.
To be able to enjoy an experience like this without paying any entrance fee is amazing!

I've been there twice and I still enjoyed it just as much.

Whenever you're in the area (flight enthusiasts should also put up with a longer journey), make sure you include this museum on your trip!

Wow what a huge air museum! Four hangers full! It would take more than one day to see everything! We really enjoyed seeing the President planes from FDR to JFK. We also enjoyed the Imax movie on the Fighter pilots training. Museum admission is free, but the movie was $10 each.

We visited here approximately 20 years ago. It has changed greatly. Before it was housed in one hanger. Now, there are seven hangars; mostly arranged by historical time periods. Many of the exhibits are the original items, if available. Some are replicas. We spent three hours and saw only two or maybe three hangars. Entrance is free. Worth spending several days, if you have the time.

We really liked our visit to the Air Force Museum. We spent two hours one afternoon and then returned and spent most of the next day there too. The exhibits were great--interesting and informative. If you looked at each exhibit and read every plaque it would take days to view the whole thing. Enjoyed being able to go inside some of the vehicles to see the inside. We took a tour the first afternoon of the Building 4 that was led by a Museum volunteer and that was interesting. What a great view of history. We had lunch at the Valykrie Diner on the second day. It was ok--just normal food served at most of that kind of place.

Very impressive and tons of history here. Beautiful display well laid out easy to follow, maps available of the floor plans, I MAX 3D movie was great, food was good in little restaurant nice wait staff.

Be prepared to take at least 2-3 days to read and see everything there.

It was well worth the trip , which took about 6 hrs. from NY, we spent about 4.5 hours walking around the museum. Would I go again sure would.

I visited this museum specifically to see The Memphis Belle, but the museum was SO much more than that. It is enormous, and filled with beautifully restored aircraft of all sorts, from a B-52 to the German ME163 to missiles that I didn't even get to before they closed. The four hours that I had set aside was not enough for me to see it all. Admission was free, as was parking, which was nearby and easy walking distance from the parking lots.
Although for the most part, you cannot get into the aircraft, they are well lit from the inside and completely fascinating.
If you are interested in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, add this museum to your list.

Happened to be there on an “open cockpit” day and while we waited in line it was well worth it. Even met some nice folks in line. Sooo much to see here especially if your an aviation or history fan. We spent 2 full days here. It’s free to get in so we even had a nice picnic lunch outside mid day. Lots of personalized stories also make the displays and artifacts more meaningful. Lots of staff to help navigate the 4 large hangers of hundreds of aircraft too

This is our 2nd time to visit the museum and it’s my favorite museum. It’s far better than the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. You need at least 2 days to see everything. It’s free but I recommend making a donation it’s well worth it. When we were there the cafe’ was under going renovations so plan on bringing a snack or leaving for lunch.

You can get a sweeping view of Air Force and military aviation progress at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum. There are more than 360 aircraft and aerospace vehicles on display, many rare and one-of-a-kind. In addition, you’ll find thousands of historical aviation artifacts. If you love the Air Force, aviation or the military in general, you will want to visit. We have been to several service national museums and this one is one of the best. Highly recommend visiting. Would definitely suggest to plan to visit with 4-5 hours available. Museum admission and parking are free (fee for theater and flight simulators).

Everything from Memphis Belle to Air Force One. Plenty of room to meander around the aircraft. Docents/Coworkers were very nice. Loved walking upstairs to eat a very tasty burger and then back to the museum.

This place was AMAZING!!! It's HUGE, but they have loaner scooters for FREE, so if you aren't a big walker, you can ride around all day. There are several large hangers FULL of great history, including the Memphis Belle and 3 retire Air Force Ones. I loved that there were MANY exhibits highlighting women's and African American's accomplishments in the war effort and the Airforce. Not just a token exhibit, but salted all the way through

If you love Air Flight history, take a day or 2 and submerge yourself in this day one to now history of Aviation

We could have early spent 2-3 days exploring the museum. So much information on the displays, so it took awhile to read through things. If you would like to really go through it all, you will need a couple days to explore. It is free to enter, movies cost $10, and the gift shop was quite large. The highlight for us was going into Air Force One where President Johnson took his oath after JFK's death. So much history there. I would love to go back if I am ever in the area again.

Best museum ever! I appreciate it being free, but am glad they take donations. It is very well done. We just went this weekend, and it was our third trip. It’s a lot of walking, but they have tons of spots for you to rest.

I love how they’re constantly improving it. I think it’s a great memorial, truly honoring veterans.

I would recommend anyone of any age going, at least every two years.

This place is HUGE! You could spend days here if you took the time to read every single thing posted. We loved how it progresses through time from the first plane to modern day planes. You get great history lessons as you travel through the museum! Both young and old were amused. It is A LOT of walking, so if you have mobility issues you will need an accommodation. In a few spots we were quite fortunate to encounter employees who were willing to share their incredible knowledge of the nearby aircraft with us. It was enjoyable, and we would have loved to have had the chance to interact with more knowledgeable employees. The gift shop and small food area are expensive, so be prepared or have a plan B. We would love to visit again in the future!

This museum is incomparably impressive. For sure the finest aviation museum anywhere, a top military museum, and a learning experience of top level.
The facility is several huge buildings containing an example of virtually every aircraft ever used by the Air Force and its predecessor Army Air Corps. An impressive corresponding poster/label description, explanation, etc.
One fascinating point is that actual historical aircraft are on display: Bockscar, the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, the F-4 flown by Robin Olds for Operation Bolo, and actual combat aircraft from every era. The museum is both huge and extensive; I spent two full days there, and didn't waste any time.
This was a destination museum and was well worth the trip.

Just came back to Chicago from Ohio and this was a stop along my way. SUPER EXCELLENT time we had. Wife even loved it. I could spend a week here and still not read all of the information everywhere in these big hangers. We tried to do all 4 tours with the guides but the second one was cancelled and was late a bit for the fourth tour guide. So much history in this museum with the planes. Tour guides were very well informed and knew a lot. Got to see my favorite SR-71 Blackbird plane along with many, many others.

I decided to visit this museum and so glad I did. So much history, things to look at, and thought provoking questions. The museum is free and so is parking. Very easy to find. Inside the museum, the planes and jets and organized by war and /or countries. Definitely worth going. Outside the museum there is a park for picnic or strolling. Lots of green space and very well kept.

While visiting friends in the area, we chose to visit the museum.

Wow!! By sheer size alone, it will blow you away. Almost four airplane hangers of exhibits. We stayed 3.5 hrs and only got through about two hangers.

It contains planes, space capsules, rockets and attire.

If you like history, technology, engineering, planes and speed, you will love it

Worth contributing to get a map; you will need it.
I am having some walking issues, and they have a free scooter rental, which help me cover more ground. Go early, it can be busy. Great first shop. Don't miss building 4

Enjoy many fantastic exhibits from early Aviation of the Wright brothers from the Dayton area to the present space and nuclear bomb era. This also features aircraft from the WWI to the present Vietnam and War on Terror aircraft. Each July there is an Air Show at Daytons International Airport located north on (&% from downtown Dqyton.

WOW! This facility is amazing! There is so much to see in multiple large exhibit halls as well as outside. Parking and admission are FREE. We spent 7 hours one day and 3 hours the next to fully cover everything (my son wants to be a pilot, so this was totally his jam) and it is interesting on many levels. There are 4 main buildings which each cover different eras in flight (early flight, WWII, Korea/Vietnam, Cold War, presidential aircraft, space). Displays are well-organized with excellent signage. Many showcases of uniforms, medals, personal effects. Well worth your time.

The four airplane hangers make this the biggest museum I think we've ever seen. We liked the missiles and the shuttle walk through. The highlight had to be walking through Air Force One. This particular one carried JFK to Dallas and was where LBJ was sworn in as president after the assassination. Staff was helpful, although some were pretty talkative. Even had a Crumbl Cookies stand for a snack.

This was top attraction that we wanted to visit while in Dayton.

The museum was dedicated to the US Air Force but also had a few other nations planes.

There was construction on the main road to the museum so plan for some delay arriving and departing. Parking was ample.

Upon entering you get a short talk and can make a voluntary contribution to get a helpful map. Otherwise it was free entry. There were four buildings that housed exhibits and my suggestion was to start at the back at #4 and make your way to the entrance. The main reason was to see some of the best exhibits (our opinion) first before one got too tired.

In #4 the highlights were

1. Presidential planes - a number of different planes used by different administrations were here. The key plane that brought back President Kennedy after his assassination was open for a walk through as well as FDR’s plane where you could see the “elevator” that lifted him up into the plane on his wheelchair.
2. NASA temporary exhibit - great hands on displays plus I got to use one of the space exercise machines. Got a little dizzy after biking in circles!
3. Plane walkthroughs - Mainly presidential but also transport planes like the C130 and a Lockheed C141C used to evacuate the first POWs released in Vietnam.

Walking back to building #3 we passed by the Minuteman missle silo as well as a number of actual ICBM rockets.

In #3, the top attractions for us were the F-117A stealth fighter, B1B and B2 bombers, and Predator drone. Amazing to get to see them up close.

In #2, the exhibits covered Vietnam and Korean wars. A number of Russian MIGs were also on display including the first one flown out of North Korea where the defecting pilot collected a $100k reward.

The National Aviation Hall of Fame was a quick stop. I tried and failed the shuttle simulator to capture a satellite. I had a little more success with wooden plane landing on the aircraft carrier.

In building #1 WWI and WWII were represented in detail. The biggest attraction was the completely restored Memphis Belle B17 bomber that was the first to complete 25 bombing missions over Germany.

We were quite tired out by this time so we headed out for lunch by passing through a large gift shop.

Overall quite impressive. Lots of time spent on restoration, setup and being able to house everything inside definitely protects these exhibits.

Definitely a must see if you're in the Dayton area. Plan to spend at least 1 whole day here. Walking thru the Air Force One that flew Kennedy back to Washington DC after he was shot was definitely a moving and emotional experience.

This museum is amazing! Aerial flight covered from Wright brothers to current times. I learned more about war history here than in school. On par with Smithsonian in my opinion with less crowds! One day is not enough time so plan on two days or at least a day and a half. Recommend leaving for lunch and returning. Food options on site are limited to 2 areas. Only sealed bottled water can be brought inside. Lots of walking and standing so wear comfortable shoes. The staff and volunteers are very informative. Admission and parking are free.

Over 1.1 million square feet of exhibits! No way to see it all in a day, much less a few hours.

Incredible exhibits touching everything in the history of the US Air Force. Amazing as to what is in these hangers.

I can't wait to come back!

This was our second visit to this museum. It’s incredible to see all the planes and history. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They even have scooters for disabled people. Museum was very clean and bright. I believe that the highlight of the museum is the Presidential planes.

Free Admission Always,

The National Air Force Museum is one of our Country’s best attractions. I greatly enjoy how you can climb into former Air Force One planes. There is a retired space shuttle that you can enter. I have been to all 50 states and have seen a lot, this one of the best museums. The National Air Force Museum is right off of Interstate 75 and a short drive (apx. one hour from Interstate 71).

Good place to learn and see how history has shaped automobile development and learned history of Put - in - Bay during WW era. More of automobile than aeroplanes. Can witness plans take off and landing. Nice education.

This place is simply amazing. I recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in American Space program or history. No admission, not sure if the staff are volunteers? Everyone we dealt with was very friendly and helpful. There is a small cafeteria with readymade sandwichs, soft drinks, chips etc. A nice spot to take a break. We were there over 3 hours and didnt even see half of it. We went through 3 units. We will be back for sure. Also there are scooters that you can borrow if you have difficulty walking distances.

Wow, this place is just amazing. Anyone who didn't give a 5-star rating must be thinking of the wrong place. I spent 3 hours at the museum and basically rushed through. I will certainly be back.

We had a great time with 2 teenagers and history-loving dad. There is so much to see. Give yourself a whole day to explore. Admission is free. Be sure to buy simulator tickets at front where you get 4 for the price of 3.

This place is awesome! We spent 3 days here and didn't see it all! Being that close to all of the U.S. Air Force aircraft was a great experience! Even found the type of aircraft my father was a flight engineer on!

What an amazing complex! We are admitted plane geeks, but anyone interested in the history of our country will love this. The green tours are the best - the docents have many stories to make the exhibits come alive. I don't think really small children would enjoy it, but otherwise it's good for everyone. And if you can't walk that much, just borrow one of their free scooters. The only down note is the ability to eat on site is limited while they build the cafeteria, but there's fast food nearby.

On our visit, we spent about 3 1/2 hours in the museum. We did not spend time reading everything, just items that were of interest to us. There is so much to see that you could spend all day here even without reading everything. There are different sections and you work your way from one into the next. The simulators were very popular so we avoided these and kept on our journey. There are places inside to grab a snack, but know that the prices may be high. Some vendors are card only, while others accept cash. There are also displays outside to see.
I would recommend setting aside a day to tour. Even if you do get done early, you will be tired from all the walking. (There are complimentary scooters or wheelchairs for those who need assistance) Another plus is that there is no cost.

This place keeps getting better and better. More planes added, more displays, an app to view the inside of the cockpits. Where else can you walk under a B52, B2 and see a display of rockets all in one place? Highly recommend.

The Dayton museum of the Air Force is a huge facility with many different eras of aviation in different hangars. You have the early years where you will learn the evolution of flight. The world war 2 gallery where you have the planes that made an impact during world war 2. The coolest plane in that gallery is the bomber Bockscar which dropped the atom bomb on nagasaki. Next you have the cold war section, followed by the Korean,vietnam, missile,space and finally the presidential wing. The presidential hanger is prolly my favorite part where you get to explore the air force ones. The plane I couldn't wait to see was the Sam 26000 the air force one president Kennedy flew down to Dallas on that fateful day November 22,1963. When covid wasn't a thing you could go in the planes and see where they put kennedy's casket and swore in LBJ. They also have the air force one for fdr,truman, eisenhower. This museum is so much and more make sure you check it out.

First off, the museum is free. Secondly, it is enormous. The history in this museum was amazing, and I feel like you could probably spend several days exploring the different exhibits. My only suggestion would be, to have more elevated viewing platforms so you could see the planes from up above due to the shear size of the museum. We will definitely go back again some day.

One of the most fascinating museums we’ve visited - an incredibly detailed but accessible journey since the beginning of manned flight.

You could just self-guide but there are a number of scheduled walking tours that help provide deeper insight into the displays and their history.

Don’t miss the Presidential airplanes - you can walk through FDR’s, Truman’s, Ike’s, and JFK’s.

You could hustle through in a day, but to do it right it seems like two or three days would be a great approach. We’re planning to make a return visit.

And it’s free!! But a voluntary donation provides some discounts on activities.

I visited the National Museum of the US Air Force while participating with the Vets Roll program, which was a group of 220 military veterans traveling via 10 motor coaches to visit Washington D.C.. We spent most of the day touring the Museum. I only managed to visit the “Early Years Gallery” - pre WWII exhibit and the “Southeast Asia War Gallery” - Korea & Vietnam. The docents throughout the museum to be very helpful in directing you to the areas you wanted to visit.l If you are an aviation enthusiast, I would recommend at least one full day and a little more.

I have been to the museum in Dayton, which is the primary purpose in Rentaca from Chicago, and I have been to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, the Tours, and the Aviation Museum in Paris, and personally I have been impressed by the museum's display of prototypes that failed to produce results but were created using the best of technology, the U.S. Air Force and other countries' past masterpieces, and the history of the atomic bomb. Personally, I think I need two days physically, and a good plan would be to watch the whole thing for about four hours on the first day, and then focus on the areas that interest me and learn deeply on the second day.

We thought that we could get it done in just over half a day and see everything. We were wrong! This museum needs at least 2 days to really see everything. I’d say maybe even 2-1/2 days. They have so many aircraft and lots of history to read. They weren’t busy at all when we were there and the volunteers were so friendly. Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes too because the floors are concrete. They do have places to rest and 2 cafes for food and a gift shop. Do not miss this if you’re in the area! This should be at the top of your tour list.

We stopped in expecting to see a few planes and were so impressed whole museum! They had a number of different displays, planes you would go into and so much to see. We wish we had been able to spend a longer time there. The Air Force One planes were very popular

Great museum for everyone. i've been 3 times over the years. 2 suggestions for improvement. One, in the Tuskegee airmen display, the theme is "legacy of equity". No, the Tuskegee airmen should not a represent a legacy of equity. it was their exceptionalism that made their legacy. Give credit where credit is due. We need to get back to appreciating and encouraging exceptionalism. Second, in the Space Force display, they have the pictures with masks on the people in the displays. i would hope that we could appreciate Space Force for what it is without the unnecessary addition of the unnecessary masks. Unmask Space Force!

This is one museum that should be on people’s bucket list. A lot of information and things to view so give yourself ample time. The museum begins with hot air balloons, the Wright Brothers, and in to World War I and II. You see the actual cloth that the Wright Brothers used on their first flights. Many different fighter planes and the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. There is so much more. We’ve been there twice and still have not seen it all. The best part is that it is free. Consequently, you don’t have to rush to see it all at once. We will be going back again to see what we have missed.

One of the greatest museums I have ever visited. You can easily spend a day here and not see everything. Everything an aviator fan can witness. The Air Force One section was great. There are no more words to describe what you can see. Oh Did I tell you, Free, yes Free.
Good food options, plenty of parking, great store, great staff
A bucket list visit

This is a great museum to visit. I am not familiar with planes at all but I still enjoyed it.
There is some many things to see. I especially enjoyed going inside the presidential
planes. The volunteers that are at each gallery are very friendly and accommodating. I was there two days but could have spent a couple more.

If you like airplanes and history this is a great museum. My son was so excited to go here. Lots of great planes and stories to go along with it. The presidential planes are great to go through. The volunteer staff is great also and are knowledgeable about the areas they work in. The Doolittle raiders section is neat with the cups of all the raiders. There is only left turned upright since all the others have passed away. Make sure to go check out the Huffman prairie flying field when you are in that area. That is where the Wright Brothers perfected their flying after Kitty Hawk. Cool place to visit.

What an amazing experience! So much history. All the workers/volunteers were outstanding. We took advantage of the guided tour on space/presidential planes and were blown away with all the exhibits and opportunities to learn about and get up close with the airplanes and spaceships. There's no way to see it all in one day. The special segments highlighting women in flight is long overdue and very well done. Will plan a return trip to enjoy more of this amazing museum and grounds.

Just a fantastic travel experience. Unique, awesome in scale, appeals to a wide array of audiences. I loved seeing all of the different Air Force One's- neat to see their development (including FDR's wheelchair component) and to see the plane where LBJ took the oath. The kids loved the VR things (which have an additional cost but since the museum is free otherwise it's not too bad). The kids can explore and walk around in planes. We were there for like 2 hours and only saw a small part. It's a fantastic travel experience and highly recommend if you are anywhere in southwest Ohio. The kids loved it (6 and 12) and I and the wife loved it, which is often hard to make everyone happy but this nails it. I want to go back and see the rest.

Absolutely incredible place to learn about the role of the Air Force in the history of the USA. So grateful to have had the opportunity to have visited and sincerely hope to return and spend an entire day in the future!

Excellent visit, the museum is well staff and well kept. The quality of the exhibits is outstanding and it’s not just the aircraft. The history of the crew is well documented and explained. We will return in the future after COVID to do the aircraft walkthroughs and see more of the museum.

Was very impressed and would give it a higher rating if possible. Thank you to the Air Force for your preservation of history.

We had a great time at this museum. This is a huge indoor museum that offers an extensive collection of various historical airplanes. They have everything from the first early models of planes, to more modern planes. This includes WWII and Korean War, as well as Cold War and space ships. Some of the planes are open to the public to be viewed from the inside. I enjoyed walking through former US presidents planes. It gives you a better insight of how cramped the living quarters were. We were debating on trying out one of the flight simulators, but the line looked a little long. We didn’t have the time, however, it must be popular with visitors. After a few hours of walking around, we made our way towards the exit. You’ll pass a couple of cafes serving different food and drinks. We stopped at souvenir shop at had a short look around. My dad bought a book on the Wright brothers. Another perk about the museum is that parking and admission are both completely free of charge.

Amazing and very large museum. Exhibits are displayed by years. Flight has really changed from the Wright Brothers to modern day technology. Be sure to look up at all the planes hanging from the ceiling. Go to the deli upstairs for a view of all the planes located in that building. Good variety of quick snacks and sandwiches. We wished we had planned on two days for the museum so we could have studied each exhibit. We were there about 6 hours. Great gift shop. Very nice and shaded park outside with additional monuments and some picnic tables. Also check out the planes they have outside. Would love to go back again when our grandkids are older.

Top notch ! The history of aviation very well done. Huge indoor facilities. Free admission, free parking for a great museum. Figure 2 hours just to walk through it. Could spend days.

Wow, did we walk a lot -- this place is enormous. There is so much to see that it's overwhelming. Even if you are not really into airplanes, go for the historical experience. It's just so well-curated. No matter what chapter of history you are interested in (Wright Brothers and on), there are displays and uniforms to see and read. There are a number of interactive displays, also -- I saw many kids using them. We were lucky enough to talk to several retired aviators and members of the Air Force; maybe because it was a Saturday, there seemed to be a lot of them around. By the time we covered most of the inside of the building, we were beat, so we skipped all the planes outside. Amazingly, it's FREE to get in!

This place is really cool, so much to look at! We went after a Dayton Dragons game and only had an hour and a half to spend there afterwards. It was definitely not enough time to see/do everything. If you are in the area I feel like this is a must see.

If you have any interest, any interest whatsoever, in military avation this place is a 100% MUST for you!
The whole day was wonderful but I have to pick out the friendliness and helpfulness of the volunteers manning the place.
They deserve my thanks as well! And even when we took a slightly wrong turn and nearly drove into Dayton Air Force Base (although it quickly became obvious that was NOT going to happen!) even the gate guards there were polite and helpful, in the fact the heavily armed lady who re-directed us said it happens all the time!

If you like aircraft, this is the place to go. This is the largest aircraft museum in the world. There are all types of aircraft on display from early airplanes, WWI, WWII, planes built for research, rockets, presidential planes and many other types of aircraft.

I am certain that nothing I can write is going to make much of a difference as this great museum is very well known to be awesome! However, this is one of the most interesting and interactive museums in the United States or elsewhere. From the friendly staff to the free admission to the food and café options everything is perfect. You can absolutely spent an entire day there and barely see everything. I also recommend trying at least one of this flight simulators as you will have a blast! Also, a great gift shop with souvenirs and other items. Highly recommend checking out this museum if you’re in Ohio.

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1. Bottom Line Up Front/frame of reference for my remarks. This was my first visit. I am a retired Marine Corps Infantry Officer, history buff and a tour guide aboard a museum ship; as such I have high expectations of military museums; I have visited over 30 in the United States. This huge museum contains a great deal of very well-maintained/restored/re-furbished items. The museum is professionally-curated on the highest level. I made a special trip (plane, rental car and hotel) to visit this museum; I was not disappointed.

2. Layout of museum. The museum is approximately 800,000 square feet (all indoors). It is separated into the following major exhibit halls. There are far too many aircraft to list; in the following paragraphs I have detailed the layout of the museum and listed some of my favorites or some that might be of interest to other visitors.

3. Major Exhibit Hall #1 - Early Years of Flight. This exhibit hall contains the earliest models of aircraft (going back to the first flight of the Wright Brothers). It also contains World War I aircraft. I was surprised to see that there were quite a few large bombers used during World War I.

4. Major Exhibit Hall #2 - World War II.

4.a. North American B-25B Mitchell. Medium bomber.
- In U.S. service 1941-circa 1960.
- Crew. 5
- Armament. 12-18 .50 cal machineguns.
- Ordnance. 3,000 lbs of bombs.
- This is the type of aircraft that conducted the April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Tokyo.

4.b. Lockheed P-38L Lightning Fighter.
- In U.S. service. 1941-1949.
- Crew. 1
- Armament. 4 x .50 cal machine-guns, 1 x 20mm cannon.
- This was a unique aircraft in that it had 2 x propeller engines (vice the
normal one engine of other fighters). This aircraft was called the "Fork-tailed
Devil" by German pilots due to its unique twin-boom design.

4.c. German Messerschmidt Me-262 Fighter.
- Crew. 1
- Armament. 4 x 30mm cannon; 24 x 55mm rockets.
- This was the first operational jet aircraft (twin engines) of the war but it was
introduced too late in the war to help them turn the tide of the war.

4.d. Consolidated OA-10 Patrol Bomber.
More commonly known as its Navy name - PBY Catalina.
- In U.S. service. 1937-1957
- Crew. 10
- Armament. 3 x .30 cal machineguns, 2 x .50 cal machineguns.
- Ordnance. 4,000 lbs of bombs, depth charges or torpedos.
- This aircraft is an amphibious flying boat - it could land in the water on its
boat-shaped hull or on land on its retractable wheels. It was used to conduct
anti-submarine patrols, reconnaissance and rescue downed air crewmen.

4.e. Northrop P-61 Black Widow Fighter (2 x propeller engines).
- In U.S. service. 1944-1954
- Crew. 3
- Armament. 4 x .50 cal machine-guns, 4 x 20mm cannons.
- Ordnance. 6,400 lbs of bombs.
- This was the first aircraft purpose-built to be a night-fighter; it is painted a
very striking black to blend with the night sky. It is similar to a P-38 in that it
has a twin tail boom.

4.f. Boeing B-29 Superfortress Heavy Bomber (4 x propeller engines).
- In U.S. service. 1944-1960
- Crew. 11
- Armament. 10 x .50 cal machinegun
- Ordnance. 5,000 – 20,000 lbs of bombs (depending on range & altitude).
- This was the type of aircraft that dropped the nuclear bombs on Japan.
Nearby, are replicas of Little Boy (uranium bomb dropped on Hiroshima) and
Fat Man (Plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki). It is very interesting to see
the size of these bombs compared to the size of the aircraft.

5. Major Exhibit Hall #3 - Korean War and Vietnam War.

5.a. Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
- In U.S. service 1946-1970s.
- Crew. 1
- Armament. 4 x 20mm cannons.
- Ordnance. 8,000 lbs of: gun pods, rockets, bombs on 15 hardpoints.
- This single-propeller aircraft was introduced at the end of World War II and
used during the Korean War and through the Vietnam War. Crew – 1. This
aircraft was preferred to jet aircraft for providing close air support during
helicopter recovery of downed aircrewmen because it could fly relatively slow
and low and had a long “on station” time.

5.b. Bell UH-1P Iroquois helicopter.
- In U.S. service. 1959-current.
- Crew. 2-4
- Armament. Could mount: .30 cal machineguns; .30 cal miniguns, rockets.
- This aircraft is in a full-size diorama: it is manned by two pilots and a crew
chief with Soldiers (all in period-correct uniforms) disembarking with period-
correct weapons into a muddy rice paddy. These aircraft could be used for
assault support (as previously listed) or for aeromedical evacuation

5.c. Douglas B-26K Ground Attack aircraft.
- In U.S. service. circa 1940s-circa 1970s.
- Crew. 3
- Armament. Up to 20 x .50 cal machineguns in nose; dorsal and ventral
turrets and in wing-mounted pods
- Ordnance. 2,000 lbs of bombs in bomb bay and 6,000 lbs in external
hardpoints.
- This type of aircraft has a very interesting history. This aircraft was employed
during World War II and was designated as the A-26. The “A” designated this
aircraft as an Attack aircraft – used to deliver close air support (in proximity
to friendly troops on the ground). At the same time, Martin aircraft
manufactured the B-26 Marauder. The “B” designated this as a Bomber
aircraft – used to conduct bombing no in proximity to friendly troops on the
ground. After the end of World War II (1947), the U.S. Air Force was created
as an independent service, and “Attack” aircraft were no longer employed;
the Douglas A-26 was redesignated at the B-26K. During the Vietnam War,
Thailand would not permit bombers to be based in their country so the
Douglas B-26K was again called the A-26.

5.d. North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco Observation/Light Attack aircraft.
- In U.S. service. 1969-1995.
- Crew. 2
- Armament. 4 x 7.62mm machineguns.
- Ordnance. Hardpoints for 3,600 lbs of ordnance.
- This turboprop aircraft had a long time-on-station and could fly low and slow,
making it an excellent platform for Forward Air Control. The pilot was a
trained aviator and the “back seater” was typically an Infantry or Artillery
Officer.

6. Major Exhibit Hall #4 - Missile Gallery. This gallery contains several Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). They are huge!

7. Major Exhibit Hall #5 - Cold War

7.a. Convair B-58 Hustler Nuclear Deterrence jet aircraft.
- In U.S. service. 1960-1970
- Crew. 3
- Ordnance. 19,000 lbs of nuiclear bombs. This is a very sharp-looking
aircraft with its triple-canopy, huge drop tank and four huge engines mounted
under its delta wing.

7.b. Lockheed AC-130A Spectre gunship (fixed wing, 4 propeller engines).
- In U.S. service. 1968-to present.
- Crew. 7
- Armament. Originally, 7.62mm multi-barreled autocannon, 40m multi-barrel
autocannon, 105mm howitzer. Armament – later versions – 30mm
autocannon, 105mm howitzer, Hellfire anti-armor missiles and Guided
Bombs.
- These aircraft started out as a transport aircraft and were highly modified to
provide Close Air Support.

7.c. General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial System (drone).
- In U.S. service. 2007-present.
- Cruising Speed. 194 mph.
- Range. 1,200 miles.
- Endurance. 14 hours.
- Ordnance. Six hardpoints that can mount 2,500 lbs of ordnance (Hellfire
anti-armor missiles, and laser and GPS guided bombs).

8. Major Exhibit Hall #6 - Air Force One(s) and Research/Development.

8.a. Air Force One - President Roosevelt.
- Douglas VC-54C Spymaster (4 x propellers).
- Crew. 7
- Passengers. 15
- This aircraft was specially modified to include a wheelchair lift.
- Visitors can enter/walk-through this aircraft.

8.b. Air Force One - President Truman.
- Douglas VC-118 (4 x propellers).
- Crew. 5
- Passengers. 25.
- Visitors can enter/walk-through this aircraft.

8.c. Air Force One - President Eisenhower.
- Lockheed VC-121E (4 x propellers).
- Crew. 8
- Passengers. 24
- Visitors can enter/walk-through this aircraft.

8.d. Air Force One - Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton.
- Boeing VC-137C (4 x jets).
- Crew. 8
- Passengers. 40. This aircraft served 36 years. Of note, this is the aircraft in
which LBJ assumed office after the assassination of JFK.
- Visitors can enter/walk-through this aircraft.

8.e. "Air Force One Half" - Eisenhower.
- Aero Commander U-4B (2 x propellers).

8.f. "Air Force One Half" - Johnson.
North American T-39 Sabreliner (2 x jets).

8.g. "Air Force One Half" - Johnson.
Beechcraft VC-6A (2 x propellers).

8.h. "Air Force One Half" - Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan.
- Lockheed VC-140B JetStar.
- Crew. 4
- Passengers. 8

8.i. "Air Force One Half" – Carter, Ford, George H.W. Bush, Clinton.
- Gulfstream C-20B.
- Crew. 5
- Passengers. 12
- Also used for presidential spouses, Secretaries of State and defense, foreign
dignitaries and high-ranking civilian and military officials.

9. Details of my visit

9.a. Date & Time. Friday 25 November and Saturday 26 November 2022 (morning - afternoon).

9.b. Other patrons. The museum was very crowded (the parking lot was near capacity). This may have been due to it being the day after Thanksgiving.

9.c. Length of visit. I was at the museum for 3 1/2 hours on Friday and 2 hours on Saturday. I primarily looked at/photographed almost all aircraft; I did not read many of the informative placards.

10. Location. I plugged the address in to my iPhone and it took me directly there.

11. Access

11.a. Security #1. Visitors are not required to pass through a manned security gate.

11.b. Passenger vehicles. The parking lots can be accessed by any type of passenger vehicle. There are a great deal of parking spaces.

11.c. Buses and RVs. I consider the parking lot to be accessible to these vehicles; I recommend looking at the site on Bing or Google Maps to confirm. I did not notice any dedicated parking spaces for these vehicles; I recommend arriving early to select a spot that can accommodate easy entry and departure.

11.d. Security #2. Visitors are required to pass through a metal detector (pocket knives ARE NOT permitted).

12. Parking. No charge; the parking lot is paved; there are a large number of parking spaces.

13. Admission. No charge.

14. Hours of operation. Check the museum’s website for current information.

15. Handicap access. The museum is completely handicap-accessible. There are chairs scattered throughout the museum and there is an elevator to the second floor (where the restaurants are located). There are a few exhibits that are not handicapped accessible (simulators and Air Force One aircraft).

16. Child friendliness. I would consider that the museum is child-friendly. There are several hands-on exhibits and simulators.

17. Permissions/prohibitions

17.a. Weapons. Weapons (to include knives) are not permitted. Be prepared to pass through a medical detector.

17.b. Photography. Photography is permitted.

17.c. Pets and service animals. Pets are not permitted; legitimate service animals are permitted.

17.d. Food and drinks are not permitted in the exhibit halls; bottled water is permitted. Water fountains contain water bottle fillers.

18. Type/nature of visit. Visitors may conduct un-guided tours; I do not know if guided tours are available; consider calling the museum or checking their website.

19. Amenities.

19.a. Climate control. The museum is heated/air conditioned.

19.b. Restrooms. Restrooms are located throughout the museum.

19.c. Water fountains. Water fountains are located throughout the museum and all have water bottle fillers.

19.d. Food & beverages. There are two cafes (both on the second floor). One is near the entrance above the gift shop; the other is near the Missile Gallery. They offer only cold sandwiches, hot pre-prepared sandwiches, chips and canned/bottled drinks.

19.e. Gift shop. The museum has a very large gift shop that has items oriented toward children and adults.

19.f. Simulators. There are multiple simulators for adults and children (I think most of them are in the Cold War Exhibit Hall).

20. Conclusion. This museum is definitely worth visiting if you are in the area and is worth a special trip even if you are not in the area. See my other reviews if you are interested in other attractions of this type.

Visited museum in September of 2022. All i can say is WOW. Very impressive place to visit. I spent 24 years in the Air Force and very impressed with the displays from WWI through present. Staff encounters were always pleasant and helpful. Spent 2 days at the museum and still feel there was much more to see. Would highly recommend a visit for all.

Awesome museum! Spent most of the day there. If you like history and like to read everything, you need a few days to do it all. If you only have a little time, I would start at the very end and work your way back again. They saved the best for last (my opinion). It has space, R&D, Air Force 1 for JFK and you could walk thru them. There is a lot of history in this museum. Best of all, It is FREE!

We usually allow two hours for a museum visit but five hours here was not enough. We saw the movie about D-Day which was excellent. The others also looked interesting. We are so glad that we visited here.

I have been to this museum many times since the early 1990s. I reviewed it in 2014 and again in 2021. It is my favorite museum. In 2021 and this year, 2023, I had the opportunity to go twice during 10-day visits to the area. Parking is free and entrance to the museum is free. There is a schedule of free guided tours of each of the galleries, which are well worth the time. There are also IMAX films for a fee, which I did not take advantage of this time, as well as people who will take your photo for free in the hopes you will buy one of the packages of your image in front of various planes.
There is a cafeteria which, as of the end of July 2023, seems to be under renovation. It was offering 2 hot options plus a number of sandwiches and salads in the cooler.
This is a huge museum with a very extensive collection of planes spanning the beginning of flight up to the present. It also covers the history of the Air Force.
If you can, plan on spending an hour or two one day and additional time on another day. I recommended a visit length of over 3 hours - but not all at once!

Absolutely an amazing museum! My son and I visited this museum two years ago and had to come back to finish what we attempted to do two years ago….. go through all of the hangars;). Anyways, don’t think you can finish this before n a couple of hours…. If it is your first time you will want to set aside an entire day. This is by far the most comprehensive and informative air museum anywhere that I have been. We dashed through the museum quickly a few years ago, but this time we took our time (5 hours) to read and immerse ourselves in the history and read some of the displays . What an amazing museum!!!

you will need GPS to get here. Not easy to find but once you get here its worth it. Four BIG Buildings each designated to a different time in Aviation history. You start by being sent to a Greeter who gives you a short explanation of the layout and they off you go on your own self guided walk. DID I MENTION ,......ITS FREE. From WWII planes to the present.

Four massive hangars holding every flying vehicle you can imagine. Have been to the Smithsonian air and space museums many times and this place beats them both combined. Very spacious and easy to walk around with opportunity to walk through numerous aircraft and sit in simulator seats. Numerous interpretative displays that give context and meaning to the aircraft instead of just giving you stats. Open from 9-5, but not nearly enough time to see it in one day.

Oh…free entry, free parking.

Our family of four visited the museum in early April. What an impressive museum with an amazing collection of airplanes and other artifacts. We spent 3-4 hours there and still wanted to see more. COVID safety guidelines were consistently and courteously enforced. The D-Day IMAX movie was excellent. Several planes were open to see the inside, however many planes in Presidential section were closed due to COVID. That was disappointing - but a great excuse to visit again.

We have been to the Air Force museum many times, and if you are at all interested in all things flying this is the place to go. You will not be disappointed in the exhibits, the planes, spacecraft and the layout of the grounds. Plan on at least 3 hours to move through all of the hangers.
My only “complaint” is still having to wear a mask. We are not anti-mask, and we are fully vaccinated… we are not people that don’t comply. That being said, there is just no reason to wear a mask at the AF museum. None.

On Friday 4/30, we visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. This is a fantastic museum with 4 or 5 hangars filled with airplanes and other types of aircraft. You should give yourself a good majority of the day to go thru all the exhibits in this museum. Thankfully all of the aircraft (except for a few) are located inside the hangars and out of the weather. This museum is awesome!!! We loved the fact that they had a photo opportunity in the museum. Also loved the fact that we could get the photos digitally instead of having to buy actual photos on paper! Great option that we purchased! We would like to see more museums and attractions offer this digital option. Lunch at the café upstairs was a nice break in the middle of the day to give our feet and legs a break from all the walking. I would highly recommend this museum for everyone visiting the Dayton, Ohio area.

As someone who's been visiting airplane museums for 4 decades, I was underwhelmed. Yeah, I know, sounds crazy, but hear me out. If you've visited as many as I have, there's little new to see in this museum - certainly not worth a special trip to Dayton. That's the first issue and something worth considering if you're an aviation buff.

The second is the ridiculous security. Yeah, yeah, it's owned by the Air Force, but I've visited many other museums owned by the military, and they don't do bag checks, metal detectors, or the stupid photo that they pretend is a souvenir but is really to keep a log of everyone who's entered. They won't tell you about this on their website, you can't decline, and they won't answer totally reasonable privacy questions on how the photos are being used and/or stored.

Third is the "green" lighting. I guess a 20-something can see in the new, dim lighting, but as a 40-something with declining near vision, I found most of the signs undecipherable. I can't even imagine the accessibility issues of people with actual vision problems.

Staff sucks. I saw one pair driving a powered industrial truck at more than twice the speed my employer allows, and we don't have members of the public wandering around our plants. Super dangerous, especially with kids running around. And that's not even mentioning how their headlights destroy everyone's night vision.

Food is worse. You'll find overpriced sodas (fine, I guess, since the museum is free) and prepackaged sandwiches one might see in a gas station full of roaches.

I mean, go if you enjoy airplanes. But make it your first airplane museum trip. And maybe don't have high expectations if you've seen it all before.

This is an absolutely wonderful and massive museum. There is so much to see that it would take days to really see it all. It is located right next to the Air Force Institute of Technology. There is plenty of parking along the front of it. The entrance is clearly marked and is in between the theater and the walkway. There is no cost to the museum but donations are welcomed. There are people to greet you and you can get a map as there are large areas dedicated to different time periods and groups of people or planes. The first buildings are dedicated to early flight with everything from balloons to WWII. The walkways are wide polished concrete and very clean. There is so much information at each of the stations and the displays on the ground and above are fascinating. The museum's buildings farther back have newer planes, drones, the USSF emblem, and a wonderful display for Women Air Service Pilots and the previous Presidential planes and their history. You exit through the gift shop. I highly recommend this museum to anyone interested in aviation. It is a treasure trove of USAF and USSF history with everything from the plane that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki to the Stealth fighter. It was all fascinating and I plan to go back as soon as possible.

This is an amazing museum. This museum merits at least a couple of full days to fully absorb the content. The aircraft are meticulously detailed and beautifully restored. The memorial park is a peaceful place to reflect on the dearly departed. I fully recommend this world-class museum.

I went to the National Museum of the US Air Force with my family. We spent an entire day here because there was so much to see. You could spend more time here if you were to read everything. There were 4 hangers to view. The best part about the museum is it was free! We did pay a small fee to receive a map. I would highly recommend this museum to anyone who enjoys aviation and space history.

An excellent museum that covers flight from the very beginning as well as USA military aircraft to present and some aircraft of military adversaries in war time. Must see. Expect to spend the day. Four Air Force one planes at the museum also.

Words cannot truly describe this museum! We visited, unexpectedly, today on their anniversary. There was so much to see and to the information was overwhelming! A true caveat was the many, many volunteers (former crew members) sharing real life stories and experiences! Nearly impossible to see everything in one day! Honored to be able to visit!

Excellent, one of the best museums in the country and FREE.
The only negatives are that you need to read a lot to fully understand what you are looking at. Yes, you can just wander and look at planes, but reading all the descriptions is important. It also helps you understand all the wars, and the rise of communism. Did you know we are still at war with Korea? That war never officially ended.
Many young kids and even teen-agers were just bored on my visit and would rather be running around bothering everyone than focusing on the planes. There is handicapped parking, but you still have to walk a lot (or wheelchair a lot) in the museum, it is HUGE with over 1 million square feet (the size of a large shopping mall) with four large hangers. The entrance area is congested, it was never designed for the large number of people that now visit.
I visited over 2 days, 4 hours per day. It’s best to break up your time there. You can’t take food in, but you can take water bottles. There is food available, but I brought my own and ate in the car. There are picnic areas outside. Huge free parking lot to accommodate the crowds.

Great museum. Detailed history of how air flight began & progressed through commercial & military endeavors. We were there for over 3 hours & only covered the surface of many portions of the museum. Well worth the trip. Free admission

When I was planning our itinerary for this trip, I thought we could visit this place in the morning and then go to two other Dayton attractions in the afternoon. Wrong! Three hours in and we had hit only one of the museum’s four giant hangers. We ended up staying here all day until the place closed and still didn’t see everything.

I’m not a big aviation, war, or military enthusiast, but this place held my interest for nearly seven hours. I especially liked the Early Years Gallery, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and nearly all of Hanger 4, particularly the Space Gallery, and the Presidential Gallery. I had actually been to this museum once before back in the early 70s, and at that time, the XB-70A, a high-altitude, nuclear strike bomber that could fly at three times the speed of sound, was outside on the tarmac. Now it’s inside. On this visit, we took a guided tour of Hanger 4, and our guide mentioned that a Hanger 5 might be in the plans.

As you can tell, there’s a lot to see! One side of Hanger 1 houses the Early Years Gallery with everything from early French balloons, to Wright Brothers fliers, and World War I, and early World War II aircraft, while the other bigger side holds the World War II Gallery. Hanger 2 has the Korean War and Southeast Asia War galleries. Both sides of Hanger 3 are devoted to the Cold War Gallery and include notable (and large) aircraft like the B2, C-133A, and the B-38J. Hanger 4 is home to the Research and Development, Space, Global Reach, and Presidential galleries. By my count, there are a total of more than 350 aircraft displayed in this museum, including those at floor level, as well as those hanging overhead. If that’s not enough, there’s also a National Aviation Hall of Fame between Hangers 1 and 2, a Missile Gallery between Hangers 3 and 4, a theatre, an auditorium, a cafeteria, and a large gift shop. Not bad for a place with free admission and free parking! It should be no surprise this museum is one of the top tourist attractions in Ohio.

Anyway, if you come here, be sure to give yourself plenty of time!

If you have the least interest in aviation or history, plan to spend at least a half day here. Free, indoor and outdoor exhibits, great films and context for what you are seeing. Don't miss it.

The Air Force museum at Wright-Patterson AFB is one of the finest museums we've ever visited. It is clearly on par with the Smithsonian Air and Space in DC and it's Udvar-Hazy facility out at Dulles airport. I could make countless comparisons: W-P has a mock-up of the original Wright flyer whereas Air and Space as the original restored flyer; W-P has the real Memphis Belle whereas U-H as the real Enola Gay; U-H has a real SR-71 whereas W-P as two; W-P has a full-scale mock-up of the Space Shuttle whereas U-H has a real one; U-H has the original prototype Boeing 707 where as W-P has four former Air Force Ones including Kennedy's 707; U-H has a real Concorde whereas W-P has the only surviving XB-70. I could go on and on. Each museum is remarkable in its own right and all the aircraft are displayed indoors. We love both museums and can't say that one is better than the other. W-P does have one display article that is quite unique that being the original B-2 load-test vehicle. It never flew but is jaw-dropping nonetheless. We've now seen all four of the largest air museums in the US: Air and Space (including Udvar-Hazy), Pima (in Tucson next to the "Boneyard"), Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins, GA) and now Wright-Patterson. If you love aviation, the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson is a must see!

Incredible collection of fine airplanes, artifacts, and information. Start in the gallery of the history of flight and work your way to space travel. Many personal artifacts, uniforms, ribbons, and other items that detail the people involved.

I visited early Tuesday morning mid June, 2020. The crowds were light and the parking lot was almost empty. The museum is massive! Allow several hours to see it all. If you're in to aircraft this is one that's worth the visit. It's as good as the Naval Air museum in Pensacola and the Air and Space museum in DC.

A person could easily spend days in this museum which consists of four hangers full of airplane nostalgia. The museum goes through time starting with the Wright brothers all the way up to Space in section 4. Air Force One planes are on display along with other huge bombers. This place is terrific and the volunteers were extremely helpful but not pushy. They enjoyed talking with my teenager and asking questions of them with genuine interest. Make this place a stop while in Dayton! It is free but donations are requested to get a map of the museum.

Luckily, I live about an hour away, so can go back pretty easily. I figure four day trips to cover everything. Take the tours. Really, your tour guide has extensive knowledge, usually behind the scenes stuff and is so much fun to talk to.

I took my two sons to this museum at the end of July. I was amazed by the size of the museum and the extent of the exhibits. Every type of plane the Air Force EVER used is probably displayed. The museum is so big that you can’t help to socially distance yourself. Definitely return.

The shear breath of the number of exhibits is impressive. The quality of the presentation of each item is remarkable. The professionalism of the staff denotes excellent management. And there is plants of parking.

A free museum everyone should see once in their life. At hour three we were museumed out so returned on the next day for another 2 hours.

Most highly recommended.

This was my fourth visit, three of which were with family. This museum consistently provides interesting content on a unique scale. It is perfect for those who want to see actual historic aircraft. The organization is clear and well thought out. Exhibits rotate sufficiently to provide a fresh experience on repeat visits. Staff are friendly and professional. Masks are required and appear to be enforced, and the large scale of the buildings provide an open and well ventilated atmosphere for visitors.

I love this air museum. I have been numerous times beginning in the mid-1990s. It is so large that there is no way to see the whole thing in one visit. I came out to Dayton to visit family and a visit to this museum was my first indoor activity since the pandemic began. I just could not come to Dayton without going to the air museum. The hangers are so large and there is so much floor space I figured it would be a safe option. There is an entire section of Presidential planes, a section for R&D (these two I visited a couple years ago, just before they moved them to the main museum space), planes from the Wright brothers on up to the present. There are mock-ups of cockpits you can climb into (tho getting back out is a challenge!). This trip we went to two of the 3D movies: Space Junk and Fighter Pilots. Both were very good.
We ate in the cafeteria which has made some changes in how food to provided in keeping with Covid-19 guidelines.

This is one of the best museums we have been to. I could not believe that every exhibit was open and every single interactive exhibit actually worked. We have never been to a museum that actually works on all levels. The staff are incredibly helpful. Admission is amazingly free. You can donate to buy a map. They have tons of motorized scooters for those that need it; we saw young and old on them. The hangers are so clean and well organized. Verbiage is easy to read for adults and kids. The level of historical details and organization were outstanding. There were so many highlights. The only thing that was so so was the space shuttle. We loved how many planes we could actually walk up and through. We spent 2 hours, but could have spent the entire day there. We will go back and explore more again! A gem for the USA!

Great museum.
I think that you could spend a week there.
I wish that I had a map. They didn’t give us one when we entered.
Other than that it was a great trip

I suggest that you pick a few must see items for you and make sure that you go to them, since there is absolutely so much to see

Exceeded my very high expectations.
An absolutely amazing experience that I will not forget.
Everything is cleverly organized, and it allows both novices and experts to make the most of the visit.

My personal highlights were the B2, B-1B bombers and the WWII exhibit as a whole.

The food options on site are convenient and very reasonably priced, with several healthy options.

Very family-friendly with a picnic area, family restrooms, flight simulators and more.

we still can't get over this is free! we donated and still felt like it wasn't enough. lots to see and is family friendly but plan on a lot of walking.

A must do for aviation enthusiasts! This was a repeat visit for me and I still couldn't see it all. Staff friendly and helpful.

This was a wonderful experience seeing all of the aircraft from the early years to the modern. So much to see. There is lots of walking so wear comfortable shoes. I also recommend you bring a water bottle as it does get a bit warm.

This place came highly recommended as one of my kids aspires to be a pilot. Honestly, its great even if you don't want to be a pilot. The history, planes, simulators, gift shops, photo opps, and more...proves why the museum comes so highly recommended. Please don't forget your walking shoes. Its somewhat handicap friendly. They have the motorized scooters available, free of charge. Its a very, very large place. Be prepared to spend a great deal of your day or weekend here. The staff is friendly and helpful. The crowd was cool too. There are varied price ponts for souvenirs, toys, and gifts. The simulators range from $10-$20 per ride. They have pics for a price too, but you can also use your phone or camera and take your pwn pics without a hassle.

You may be thinking "the entrance is ugly and too far away. It couldn't get worse." Well, my trip friends, it has. It's still ugly, with the cement barriers and parking runway, but now you enter and exit at separate doors. The previous entrance is now only the exit. You turn right there and walk further to go to the current entrance doors.

Have you gone to the AFM in the rain? If so, you know that there's no parking near the doors. You get soaked on your way in. But now...you must walk even further in the rain to get into the new entrance! Be extra careful while running in with your baby because the sidewalk makes huge puddles that will soak your shoes and make walking around the museum miserable.

How can these people make this entrance better? Aren't they limited? No, no, no. They are not limited. If someone can hang an airplane from the ceiling, they can build an awning. If someone can get a passenger plane into a building without a scratch, they can get tiny, little humans into a building. If they can have 50,000 staff standing around chit chatting, they can offer valet.

Will they though? Will the AFM ever make entering and exiting a better experience? Only time can tell what they will use their tax money on.

I really enjoyed seeing the planes here in this extensive collection. Spent a very full day here. The place is absolutely massive, with several large halls. Great tours by volunteer guides too.

We stayed overnight in Dayton so my husband could visit and I reluctantly joined him after lunch. I am so glD I did it was all so amaing, especially the exhibits of the Presidential Aircrafts with a big plus for the Air Force One that used by JFK and that carried his body back to Washington!

This was my second trip to the NMUSAF. Again, I was totally blown away! My interests lie in Vietnam War Era aircraft, and to be able to see Brig. Gen. Robin Olds’ F4 Phantom was just super cool! It’s a humbling experience when you take time to think about the human element behind all those aircraft. I’d give this place 10 stars if I could!

There is reason this is #1 in Dayton of places to see.

Access roads are under construction and parking was plentiful. Lots of handicap but expect to walk 100 yards or more, and a mile or more they the museum.

Lots of help and very clean , able to keep space.

Displays have every aircraft in Air Force history. Many tributes, some not up to date. Live Susan Rogers who helped evacuate the injured from the 1983 Lebanon Marine barracks bombing, but died after a battle with cancer.

For hanging aircraft you have rely look for the floor banner

Bring your walking shoes!

Many volunteers to explain things or tell you old stories about being out of airspeed and ideas, only to save the day. And then there’s the guy who will tell you his helicopter blades chopped down a tree.

It's hard to know what to say that the 5,000+ previous reviews here haven't already mentioned. This is one of the pre-eminent flight museums in the USA and ranks with, if not surpasses, the quality of the Smithsonian up in Washington DC.
It is huge! Even moving through the four great halls as fast as I could, taking snapshots and not reading the plentiful displays (most of the history of which I was already pretty familiar with), it *still* required a solid three hours. To properly walk through the museum and explore it at a more normal pace really would need a couple of days.
The museum throughtfully accomodates the mobility-impaired with a fleet of electric scooters. They are free to use and the staff is most helpful with tips to make the battery last for the duration of a multi-hour visit. The parking lot is a bit of a walk from the entrance, but there is a passenger drop-off zone much closer.
The indoor exhibits are roughly grouped by era, with early-flight and World War II being the closest to the front and the more modern aircraft in the halls toward the back. Note that it is *very* dim in the WW2 hall (perhaps for conservation reasons), and it was quite difficult to read the plaques there. The other halls were much brighter. Look for the B-52, B-1, B-2, and sole remaining 1960s-era B-70.
A number of former Air Force One presidental aircraft are gathered in the furthest gallery. These are of at best mild interest and are difficult to negotiate since the protective panels in place make the walkways through the aircraft a tight squeeze indeed. Note that the Space Shuttle vehicle in that same gallery is only a mock-up. Its display offers, predictably, an Air Force-heavy emphasis on the description of the STS program.
There is also an excellent gift shop, cafe, and a second-level snack bar that overlooks the furthest gallery and provides a great vantage point for photos of the aircraft.

We have been to several service national museums and this one is one of the best. No cost except for simulators. Free motorized scooters for handicapped. Four hangers of planes and other military and space equipment. Also planes outside to see. Could spend the day if so inclined. Well laid out and an excellent map to find what you want. Highly recommended.

Excellent museum, including several aircraft that you can walk through. They have such an extensive collection of items on display that you can easily spend 2 full days here. The information about each item is succinct and non-politically slanted; they just present data and facts, and don’t overwhelm you.

The museum presents the history of women and racial minorities appropriately, using the evolution of flight and the Army Air Force/Air Force itself throughout war, peacetime, research, and the space race to show their struggles, contributions, and accomplishments - without shaming readers who aren’t minorities. The authorship is fair and informative and educates the readers.

Admission is free and parking is plentiful. The museum is open on weekends.

This place really gets it right and is rare example of the federal government doing something well for its’ taxpayers.

I could go on and on praising the museum but it’s better to just let you experience it yourself.

As an aside, you can view many of the aircraft on display on their website. But go in person.

I’ll start with my tips because they were mini. We got here when they opened at 9 o’clock made a donation for a map and headed through for hangers two the current space gallery where we climbed on Air Force 2’s and other planes. There is an app Cockpit360 that takes us virtually inside every aircraft & provides stats. I took a cart & pushed our heavy camera bag, bottles for water & purse.

I didn’t realize the Wright Brotyare from Dayton. The museum began with them. We saw meticulously maintained early planes. We moved through WwI, II, Asian wars, Cold War to the present. A 5th hanger will open in a few years with the current Air Force I. We saw aircrafts, engines, models, clothing, parts, photographs, films, costumes…. There was every and anything related to airplanes. This is the largest collection on the world.

We spent 4 hrs here but could have made it a day. It is free, there are many restrooms, a gift shop, cafe & free parking. The retired service men were a wealth of information. There was so much to see it was really overwhelming!

This is THE Best aviation museum in the United States, and it may be one of the best in the world.
If you have an interest in: aviation, aviation history, the history of the U.S. Air Force or just history – you owe it to yourself to visit this facility.
I don’t think one could really take in all of the exhibits in less than two days. I’m serious – it’s that big. You could spend more than two days if you wanted.
I recommend budgeting 10 hours spread over two days. That doesn’t have to be a 50/50 split of time between two days but break in there somewhere really helps.
I’ve been to several Air & Space Museums, including the excellent Udvar-Hazy Museum near Dulles International Airport and the National Museum of the Air Force tops them all.
Parking is free, general admission is free, there are some extras that you can pay for if you wish. During our visit the water fountains were turned off due to the last vestiges of COVID-19 idiocy. I do believe clear plastic water bottles are permitted. It’s an enormous facility and despite air conditioning, it can still get a bit warm. Dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes.
The exhibits are nothing short of amazing! There is some INCREDIBLE history within this museum.
My advice is plan for days and DO IT ! You will not regret it.