Imperial War Museum Duxford

Imperial War Museum Duxford is a military museum in Duxford, England, displaying nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery pieces, and naval vessels across seven exhibition buildings. The hangars are spread across a large site that once served as an active airfield and now houses one of Europe's largest aviation collections.

The site was used as a Royal Air Force base during the Second World War and later also hosted American fighter units. After the war, it remained militarily active for decades before opening as a museum site in 1976.

The site still bears traces of its past as an airfield, and you can see the runways where fighter planes once took off. Today the name is often associated with the American air power collection, which displays machines from several decades.

The museum is open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the different collections are spread across several hangars, so a full visit can take several hours. Sturdy footwear is helpful, as many exhibition areas are outdoors and the paths between buildings are sometimes unpaved.

The museum has an active airfield where vintage aircraft take off and land throughout the year, allowing visitors to experience flying demonstrations in real time. Some machines are flown by volunteer pilots who recreate historical flight maneuvers, bringing the daily life of earlier times to life.

Location: Duxford

Inception: 1977

Official opening: 1977

Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access

Fee: Yes

Operator: Imperial War Museums

Part of: Imperial War Museums

Address: Duxford Airfield, Cambridge CB22 4QR

Opening Hours: 10:00-16:00

Website: https://iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

GPS coordinates: 52.09306,0.12944

Latest update: December 12, 2025 18:03