National Museum of Naval AviationThe National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola Naval Air Station is a nice day trip from Gulf Shores. From Gulf Shores, Alabama, take Highway 182 (Beach Highway). Highway 182 becomes Highway 292 at the Florida line. Stay on 292 until you get to Blue Angel Parkway. Turn south and enter the west gate of NAS. Three miles more and you are at the museum. It is about 30 minutes from Gulf Shores.The National Museum of Naval Aviation is the largest naval aviation museum in the world. It is also one of the most visited museums in Florida and certainly the most extensive museum of any kind within two hour's drive of Gulf Shores. Yet a relatively small number of visitors to the Alabama beaches take the time to visit the museum. Many of those would thoroughly enjoy a trip to the museum if they knew only a fraction of what it has to offer.  The first thing a visitor is going to notice upon entering the museum are the vintage aircraft hanging from the ceiling. They are all beautifully arranged and easy to view. The vintage aircraft are not confined to the 300,000 square feet inside the museum; many more are displayed on the 37 acres of museum grounds. A free bus will shuttle you to the ones outside.There is much more to the National Museum of Naval Aviation than vintage aircraft. The museum is a real museum in every sense of the word. You might come across anything associated with the Navy's contribution to air history. Magazines, newspapers, suits, weapons, flight logs, equipment - it's all in the museum. The legendary Blue Angels, based at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, have a section dedicated to them. Four of the aircraft are suspended in formation. At certain times museum visitors can see the real Blue Angels from a designated viewing area.
Many people don't realize it, but naval aviation played a big part in America's space program. Alan Shepard, the first man in space, was a navy aviator. John Glenn, the first man to orbit the earth, was a naval aviator. The first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong was a naval aviator, and the last man on the moon, Gene Cernan was a naval aviator. An entire section of the museum is dedicated to the U.S. Navy's contribution to the space program. The centerpiece of the space exhibit is the capsule that was home to the all-Navy Skylab II crew for twenty-eight days in 1973. The IMAX Theater alone is worth a visit to the museum. Hour long films, both aircraft-themed and general interest, play continuously from 10 AM until 4 PM. Another favorite attraction in the museum is the 15-passenger, full motion flight simulator that will have you almost believing that you are doing some acrobatic flying.
The "Flight Deck," the museum store of the National Museum of Naval Aviation, is certainly worth visiting. There are aviation toys for the kids and aviation memorabilia for the adults. I collect autographs. A few years ago, I bought a signed copy of Gene Cernan's Last Man on the Moon for $25. Today it sells for $75. I passed on a Naval Aviation in Space lithograph signed by Neil Armstrong and eight other astronauts. At the time the museum was selling it for $995. Now they sell for over $3,000. If you get hungry while you are in the museum stop by the Cubi Bar Cafe. It is decorated with over 1000 squadron and unit plaques from the original Officers' Club at the Naval Air Station at Cubi Point in the Philippines. Museum admission is free, but there is an admission fee to see the IMAX films and ride the flight simulator. We like to visit the National Museum of Naval Aviation Museum on hot summer afternoons. The air conditioned comfort is a nice break from the weather. |
Subscribe in a reader