My transportation guru’s were so excited to step foot into the brand new 20,000 square-foot exhibit hall at Patuxent River Naval Air Museum that just opened in May 2016. This state of the art building is a magnificent structure that has many different aircraft exhibits to explore. My boys enjoyed soaring around the building to look at all the airplanes, gliders, helicopters and more on display.
A little history…Patuxent River Naval Air Station has tested and evaluated the Navy’s aircrafts and flight systems since World War II. This museum is known for being the only naval museum committed to aviation research, development, testing and evaluation. In mom terms this means that there are a lot of hands on displays! My boys were thrilled to climb into open exhibits and pretend to fly through the sky. There is even a Fly Mach Combat flight simulator (extra fee applies) perfect for school aged children and even adults. The new building has some interesting videos to stop and view. If you are a collector or just enjoy toy planes the Flightline gift shop really has some cool collector’s items. For under $2, my boys picked out a fun glider they could build and fly. There were also some pretty awesome kites for sale.
The museum is very spacious with full handicap accessibility and has plenty of room to maneuver a stroller. The facility is definitely family friendly! I love that they had a parking space for expecting moms. It’s also great that they offer reduced prices for children. The museum director even told me that they are starting a story time for young children this year. Attendees will receive a discounted admission for attending the education program! Stay tuned and I will keep you posted on when those events take place.
Admission includes full access to tour three buildings and aircrafts on display outdoors. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission to the museum complex is five dollars for adults and three dollars for children, seniors and active duty personnel. The displays take about an hour plus or minus to walk through. It is a great day trip. If you are military or have access to going on base, I highly recommend packing a picnic lunch and going down to the play ground by the beach on base. You will cross over a tarmac and can watch airplanes take off and land.
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