National Naval Aviation Museum

The National Naval Aviation Museum sits aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, the place known as the Cradle of Naval Aviation. It displays more than 150 restored Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft, from early biplanes and World War II fighters to jets and helicopters, and it bills itself as one of the largest aviation museums in the world. Admission and parking are free, which makes it one of the best-value days out on the Emerald Coast, and with nearly everything indoors it is a go-to on a rainy or very hot day.

What to see

The main building and its hangars are packed with aircraft, many of them hanging overhead. The signature sight is the glass atrium, where four former Blue Angels A-4 Skyhawks fly in a diamond formation above the floor. Other exhibits cover aircraft carriers, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and space flight, along with flight gear, models and artwork.

• Free guided tours: led by museum docents at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Giant Screen Theater: a 325-seat theater showing aviation films throughout the day. Tickets are sold separately.
• Flight simulators: motion simulators and cockpit trainers for an extra fee, plus the hands-on Flight Adventure Deck for kids.
• Cubi Bar Cafe: lunch inside a re-creation of the famous officers’ club from Naval Air Station Cubi Point in the Philippines, with its walls of squadron plaques.

Blue Angels practices

NAS Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels, and during the show season the team holds practices over the base that the public can watch for free from the museum’s flight line. Viewing typically opens at 9:30 a.m. with the demonstration around 10:30 a.m. Practice dates change each season and can be canceled for weather, so check the museum’s schedule before you go and arrive early, since the lot fills on practice days.

Getting on base

Because the museum is on an active Navy base, plan ahead:

• Use the West Gate. Public visitors enter through the West Gate at the south end of Blue Angel Parkway, open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Bring a REAL ID. Every visitor 18 and older, including the driver, needs a REAL ID-compliant license or a valid U.S. passport.
• Expect a check. Visitors and vehicles are subject to inspection and a background check. Foreign nationals must be escorted by a U.S. citizen in the same vehicle.
• Pack light. Sealed water is fine, but outside food, coolers, backpacks, alcohol and drones are not allowed. Strollers are welcome.

When the parking lot is full, public access to the museum stops, so arrive early on busy days and during Blue Angels season.

Hours and admission

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Admission: free, with free parking. The theater and simulators cost extra.

The Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is just down Radford Boulevard, so you can see both in one visit. See more nearby on our Pensacola area page.