Cradle of Aviation Museum, Aerospace museum in Garden City, United States
The Cradle of Aviation Museum displays more than 75 aircraft and spacecraft across eight galleries, showing how flight technology evolved through the decades. The collection ranges from early experimental planes to advanced space hardware.
The museum opened in 1980 on the grounds of the former Mitchel Air Force Base with a modest collection of aircraft. A major renovation in 2002 transformed it into the modern facility visitors see today.
Former Grumman Aerospace workers share their hands-on knowledge as guides and restoration specialists throughout the galleries. Their direct connection to aviation history brings personal stories and details that museum displays alone cannot capture.
The museum's galleries are clearly marked and easy to navigate, with planetarium shows available on most days. Plan to spend several hours to see both the aircraft displays and the space shows.
The museum preserves an unused Apollo Lunar Module LM-13 that was meant for the Apollo 19 mission, which never took place. This spacecraft represents a cancelled moonshot program that few visitors realize existed.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
