World's 10 best aviation museums
1. Smithsonian Nat'l Air and Space Museum
Each year, 8 million people visit this Smithsonian museum in Washington. D.C. One of many highlights is the Apollo 11 Command Module, "Columbia," which brought Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins home after the world's first moon walk.
2. Imperial War Museum Duxford The aviation museum at Duxford, UK, offers arguably the world's best visitor experience. "The thing that makes this place is atmosphere," says aviation expert Andy Saunders. "The fact that Spitfires, Me 109s, B-17s and P-51 aircraft can be seen flying here makes this place the ultimate museum of its genre."
3. National Museum of the USAF
As
well as the B-17F "Memphis Belle," the museum's presidential gallery
holds the aircraft serving as Air Force One the day president John F.
Kennedy was shot. The National Museum of the USAF is located on
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
If you want to
design your own jet or sit in a simulator to experience a Battle of Iwo
Jima dogfight, the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in
Everett, Washington, is the place to go. The main attraction is a tour
of Boeing's enormous assembly plant.
Located near
Paris, some of the museum's exhibits date to the 16th century. Its
double Concorde display is the only one in the world.
This Kiev museum
houses one of the world's biggest displays of aviation technology. The
majority of the aircraft were built by the Soviet Union. Exhibits
include supersonic bombers.
Pima's most popular
attraction is the Boneyard, aka the place planes go to die. In Tucson,
Arizona, the area covers 2,600 acres and contains the rusting hulks of
4,000 retired aircraft.
Communist-era
aircraft dominate this collection in Krakow, Poland. It's located on one
of the oldest military airfields in Europe.
In Beijing, China's
flagship aviation museum includes Chinese fighter jets and Chairman
Mao's personal plane. "There are some extraordinary aircraft -- ones you
just cannot see in the West," says aviation expert Michael Blank.
With more than 130
aircraft, highlights of this Ottawa museum include the nose section of
an Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, one of few remaining parts of the
Canadian-built fighter jet. -cnn-
As
well as the B-17F "Memphis Belle," the museum's presidential gallery
holds the aircraft serving as Air Force One the day president John F.
Kennedy was shot. The National Museum of the USAF is located on
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
4. Future of Flight Center/Boeing Tour
If you want to
design your own jet or sit in a simulator to experience a Battle of Iwo
Jima dogfight, the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in
Everett, Washington, is the place to go. The main attraction is a tour
of Boeing's enormous assembly plant.
5. French Air and Space Museum
Located near
Paris, some of the museum's exhibits date to the 16th century. Its
double Concorde display is the only one in the world.
6. State Aviation Museum of Ukraine
This Kiev museum
houses one of the world's biggest displays of aviation technology. The
majority of the aircraft were built by the Soviet Union. Exhibits
include supersonic bombers.
7. Pima Air & Space Museum
Pima's most popular
attraction is the Boneyard, aka the place planes go to die. In Tucson,
Arizona, the area covers 2,600 acres and contains the rusting hulks of
4,000 retired aircraft.
8. Polish Aviation Museum
Communist-era
aircraft dominate this collection in Krakow, Poland. It's located on one
of the oldest military airfields in Europe.
9. China Aviation Museum
In Beijing, China's
flagship aviation museum includes Chinese fighter jets and Chairman
Mao's personal plane. "There are some extraordinary aircraft -- ones you
just cannot see in the West," says aviation expert Michael Blank.
10. Canada Aviation and Space Museum
With more than 130
aircraft, highlights of this Ottawa museum include the nose section of
an Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, one of few remaining parts of the
Canadian-built fighter jet. -cnn-
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