Overview
Some of you may rightly argue that a day-trip to Palm Springs is a bit more than “…and beyond.” That’s okay. You’re probably right. But if you’re up for the two-hour-and-change ride, the Palm Springs Air Museum is a pretty cool place to visit.
The aircraft on display inside the museum have been beautifully and meticulously restored, and span decades—from World War II, to Korea, Vietnam, and present-day. Virtually all the aircraft are military aircraft, with some models and displays of commercial and general aviation aircraft scattered throughout the museum.
There’s a ton of history to be had through the detailed interpretive displays and videos. There was a section dedicated strictly to the women of aviation history which was enlightening. You’ll see displays of uniforms, actual medal citations, and other aviation-related memorabilia. You can actually enter some of the aircraft (a $5 fee to enter the B-17). A well-stocked gift shop at the entrance will allow you to purchase aviation related items to take home.
We spent about an hour and a half at the museum, which gave us a really good overview of everything that’s there. But if you’re one to watch every video and read every interpretive sign, and hour and a half isn’t nearly enough. A month probably isn’t nearly enough time.
The museum is located in several hangars adjacent to the Palm Springs International Airport, so you’re walking on level concrete the entire time. There were occasional power cords running from one place to another that you had to step over but, for the most part, it’s very accessible. While it was cooler than outside, it still was quite warm inside.
If you’re into military aircraft at all, you should add the Palm Springs Air Museum to your list of places to visit. (Kids 12 and under are free!)
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What You Need to Know
| Location: | 745 N Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92262 |
| Hours: | 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Daily |
| Cost: | $$ Adults, 18-65 years: $19.50 Seniors, 65+: $17.50 Retired Military with ID: $17.50 Youth, 13-17 years: $17.50 Children 12 and under: Free Active Duty Military with ID and immediate family members: Free |
| Phone: | (760) 778-6262 |
| Website: | http://palmspringsairmuseum.org/ |
| Tips: | There is plenty of free parking at the museum. You may want to call in advance to see if they have a large private event planned. When we visited, there was an event the night before and an event the night of our visit, so many of the planes were moved to make room for the event. Unfortunately, in some cases, they were so tightly packed together it made it difficult to navigate around them. Watch your head! Because you can walk right up to the aircraft, there are bits and pieces sticking out right at head level that, should you bump into them, would make for an unpleasant experience. |
| Date Visited: | 21 August 2021 |
Map
Gallery
Click to enlarge image.
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You should quit your day job and make a living doing these write-ups!
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Someday… The only catch is that it usually costs $$$ to visit many of these places, so having some income is nice 😃
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