National Naval Aviation Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Naval Aviation Museum

Grumman F-14A Tomcat in front of the museum
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Former name	National Museum of Naval Aviation and Naval Aviation Museum
Established	1962
Location	Pensacola, Florida
Type	U.S. Navy
Founder	Rear Admiral Magruder H. Tuttle

The Blue Angels Atrium in the National Naval Aviation Museum

The National Naval Aviation Museum is an amazing place in Pensacola, Florida. It's a museum all about military and space aviation. It used to be called the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The museum first opened in 1962. It moved to its current spot in 1974. After being closed for a while, it reopened to visitors in May 2023.

Exploring the Museum's Exhibits

This museum is dedicated to the history of naval aviation. This includes planes and helicopters from the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Coast Guard. The museum's goal is to find, collect, keep, and show items. These items tell the story of how U.S. Naval Aviation grew and developed.

What You Can See at the Museum

You can see more than 150 different aircraft and spacecraft here. Some cool displays include:

• Four A-4 Skyhawk planes that used to fly with the Blue Angels.
• The Curtiss NC-4, which was the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
• Helicopters used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Old-fashioned biplanes.
• Parts of a K-class blimp called K-47.
• A plane that President George H. W. Bush trained in.
• The S-3 Viking plane that took President George W. Bush to the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003. This plane was even called Navy One for that trip!

These amazing aircraft are shown inside the museum. It has a huge exhibit space, about 300,000 square feet. More planes are displayed outside on the museum's 37-acre grounds.

Other Cool Things to Do

The museum also has a Giant Screen Theater. You can try out flight simulators. There's a special Blue Angels 4D Experience. You can also visit the museum store and a cafe. The Cubi Point Café has cool items from an old Officers' Club.

The Emil Buehler Naval Aviation Library

Inside the museum, you'll find the Emil Buehler Naval Aviation Library. It opened in 1992. This library is a huge collection of Naval history. It's one of the best places in the United States for this kind of information. Emil Buehler was an aviation pioneer. He helped fund many education programs. The library has books, stories from people who were there, pictures, and about 400,000 photographs. Many of these photos are easy to search for.

The National Flight Academy

Right next to the museum is the National Flight Academy. This is a four-story building that looks like an aircraft carrier! It has over 30 flight simulators. During the summer, more than 200 students each week attend a 6-day program. These students are in 7th through 12th grade. The program helps inspire them to study STEM subjects. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation helps support the museum. This group has raised millions of dollars since 1966. They helped build the museum and its exhibits. They also help find and fix up old aircraft. They create educational programs like the National Flight Academy.

Watching the Blue Angels Practice

You can often watch the Blue Angels practice their amazing flight demonstrations. They are the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. They usually practice on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. This happens between March and November. These practices depend on the weather. You can check their website for a practice schedule.

Captain Robert L. Rasmussen was the museum director for 27 years. He was a retired Navy captain and a former Navy fighter pilot. He even flew with the Blue Angels! He is also an artist, and some of his art is shown in the museum. Captain Rasmussen retired in 2014. Captain Sterling Gilliam, Jr. became the new director.

A Look at the Museum's History

Damage to the museum's PB4Y after Hurricane Ivan

The museum first started on December 14, 1962. It was in a small building that was built during World War II. The museum was officially opened in June 1963.

Work on the current, larger building began in November 1972. The first part of the new building opened in November 1974. It was officially dedicated in April 1975. More parts of the building were finished in 1980 and 1990. In May 1989, the museum's name was changed to the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan caused some damage to the museum. Some of the planes displayed outside were also damaged.

In 2019, the museum and other attractions at the air station closed to the public. This happened after a serious incident at the base.

In 2020, the museum closed for seven months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials at the museum planned to reopen it to the public in 2021.

In 2022, people started talking about making a special road. This road would lead directly to the museum.

On May 3, 2023, the museum announced it would open again to the public. This happened on May 17, 2023. Visitors need to show a valid state-issued ID to enter.

The museum opened a new exhibit in October 2024. This exhibit is about naval aerospace medicine.

Aircraft Collection

Control car of a K class blimp in the museum

Northrop T-38 Talon at the museum

The National Naval Aviation Museum has a huge collection of aircraft. These include many different types of airplanes, helicopters, and even parts of airships and spacecraft.

Airplanes on Display

Gliders on Display

Helicopters on Display

Airships on Display

Spacecraft on Display

More Aviation Museums to Explore

• Naval Aviation Hall of Honor
• List of maritime museums in the United States

Naval Aviation Museums Around the World

• Aeronauticum, a German naval aviation museum
• Fleet Air Arm Museum, a United Kingdom museum of naval aviation
• Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia), an Australian museum of naval aviation
• Naval Aviation Museum (India), an Indian naval aviation museum
• Shearwater Aviation Museum, a Canadian naval aviation museum
• Pacific Aviation Museum, a museum in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Other United States Museums

• Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
• U.S. Navy Museum
• National Museum of the United States Air Force
• United States Army Aviation Museum