National Museum of the United States Air Force

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is an aviation museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton that displays more than 400 aircraft and missiles in several indoor exhibition halls. The halls are organized by time period and guide visitors from early powered flight to modern space technology.

The museum began in 1923 as a collection of technical artifacts at McCook Field and initially served research and documentation purposes. After several relocations, it opened to the public at its current site in 1971.

The collection shows both fighter jets and reconnaissance planes alongside transport aircraft that served the American air forces for decades. Visitors can see the original cockpits and cabins in some of the aircraft, just as they were used by the crews.

The entrance is near Interstate 675 and admission is free. The four connected buildings are wheelchair accessible and can be explored with guided tours or at your own pace.

The Presidential Gallery houses several retired Air Force One aircraft that carried American presidents over decades. Visitors can enter the interiors of some of these planes and see how the cabins were arranged for the heads of state.

Location: Dayton

Inception: 1923

Official opening: 1971

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Address: 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433

Website: https://nationalmuseum.af.mil

GPS coordinates: 39.78139,-84.11056

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03