Flight Museums in California Filled With Innovations and Curiosities
Photos left to right: Western Flight Museum in Torrance; Flight Path Learning Center Museum in Los Angeles; Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos
Flight museums offer glimpses into America’s history and the history of flying. It wasn’t THAT long ago that there were no planes, no jets, and no way to zip around the globe within a day or so. Such a massive collection of aircraft, war planes, helicopters and spacecraft has been assembled in California that you could visit a different flight museum every other weekend and it would take you an entire year to see all of them!
While most of us lack the personal connection with military aircraft, for instance, we actually pay for these vehicles with our taxes. Military spending is one of the largest budget items we support as taxpayers. Don’t you want to see what you are paying for? You work so hard for it! Most of the collections showcase older military vehicles though there are some contemporary aircraft exhibits and newer planes, especially at the Air Force base exhibits and museum.
For those interested in the eclectic and cultural side of flying, right next to LAX you can see uniforms that stewardesses and airplane pilots wore during the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Flight Path Learning Center Museum includes items from now defunct commercial airlines such as TWA and PanAm, stir sticks, freebies they used to give to passengers, and more!
CALIFORNIA AIR MUSEUMS – See details
- ALAMEDA Alameda Naval Air Museum, alamedanavalairmuseum.org
- ATWATER Castle Air Museum, castleairmuseum.org
- CAMARILLO Commemorative Air Force, SoCal Wing, afsocal.com
- CHINO Planes of Fame
- CHINO Yanks Air Museum
- FAIRFIELD Travis AF Base Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Museum
- LANCASTER Edwards AF Base Air Force Flight Test Center Museum
- LOS ANGELES Flight Path Learning Center Museum
- McCLELLAN Aerospace Museum
- OAKLAND Oakland Aviation Museum
- PALM SPRINGS Palm Springs Air Museum
- RAMONA Classic Motors Museum
- RIVERSIDE March Air Field Museum
- SAN CARLOS Hiller Aviation Museum
- SAN DIEGO Air & Space Museum
- SAN DIEGO California Flight Museum
- SANTA MONICA Museum of Flying
- SANTA ROSA Pacific Coast Air Museum
- TORRANCE Western Museum of Flight
