Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Aviation museum in Lexington Park, United States.
The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum is an aviation museum in Lexington Park, St. Mary's County, displaying naval aircraft, wind tunnel models, missiles, and technology exhibits in both indoor halls and outdoor areas. The collection ranges from early naval propeller planes to experimental high-performance aircraft tested at the neighboring base.
The museum was founded in 1975 to document the history of naval aviation at Patuxent River, a base that has served as the main testing center of the US Navy since World War II. Over time, the collection grew as aircraft and demonstrators were transferred from the base once their test programs ended.
The museum tells the stories of test pilots who worked in this region and shows how their work shaped modern military aircraft. Visitors can see personal equipment, uniforms, and documents that give a concrete look at what daily life was like for those pilots.
The museum is free to enter and easy to explore on foot, with indoor and outdoor sections that are clearly separated. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, especially if you plan to walk through the outdoor display where the larger aircraft are parked.
Some of the aircraft on display, such as the X-47A Pegasus, are not replicas but actual demonstrators that flew at the neighboring base before moving into the museum. This makes the place one of the few museums where the objects exhibited came directly from the site next door.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
