1. Air Zoo

    1. Air Zoo

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    Portage, MI

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    Air Zoo

    4.7 (143 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Air Zoo Photos

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    Katherine A.

    We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the Air Zoo! The Air Zoo is a museum of old planes and aircrafts with a focus on history and technology. We went on a snowy day and were among a handful of guests. The museum is huge - two buildings of beautifully restored historic aircraft, stories and rides. The staff were friendly, engaging and knowledgeable. Russ treated us to a personal tour and was interesting and humorous. We spent five hours exploring, learning and having fun, learning about aircraft that shaped the world. We visited the museum plus the discovery center, where an aircraft was being restored. We climbed into cockpits that transported us back in history. There is so much to see.... We had lunch in the cafe, which was filling and good. The gift shop is filled with STEM inspired puzzles, books and toys. I bought several gifts for the kids. I highly recommend a visit and membership. This is the best aviation museum I've visited. There is plenty of parking including handicapped parking. The museum and restrooms are immaculate.

    Welcome
    Alice K.

    I have been to Kalamazoo many times and saw the signs for the Air Zoo. I am happy that I finally came for a visit, this place is a aviation museum and history of planes. We spent three hours and honestly we could have spent another three. Make sure to visit both buildings and see the restoration center. This is where they are restoring aircraft. Well worth the visit!

    Tai P.

    Went to their countdown to noon and it was an amazing experience! With 5,000 balloons at the ready to drop everyone danced to the music that played as we explored planes, rode rides, and saw the various super hero's posed in their heroic stances. I'd never gone to the countdown before but it is a fun experience that left everyone with big smiles on their faces! I cannot wait to experience this again, but while that has to wait until next year, the various things to do in the air zoo are very educational and worth the visit anytime!

    Inside
    Kelly S.

    It's easy to find and has ample parking. The admission was $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. We went on a Friday morning and it wasn't too busy. There was a lot of kids and screaming from the kid themed rides. The planes are spread out so that you can see them pretty good. They are organized by category and all have a brief description talking about the plane details: year, speed, height, dimensions, etc. Some of the planes had more detail. They have the only dual cockpit blackbird on display. It's also set up to really admire and has a platform to climb up to see the cockpits. We saw a single cockpit blackbird in Salt Lake but it was in a corner with other planes blocking the view. This was much better. In the main room, they also have free flight simulators to try. They also have a space area with some pretty cool items to check out. The admission ticket gives you access to the old museum where they restore planes (not necessarily to be on display at this museum but all over the country). The site has a cafe which we did not try and a large gift shop with some pretty unique gift items (not all were plane or space related, some items were related to history and/or science). I lived in Kalamazoo most my life and never took advantage of coming here but I'm glad I finally did. It's totally worth the price of admission.

    Chelsi B.

    My husband loves planes and history, so the Air Zoo is definitely a museum we love coming to. We have only been a few times and it hasn't changed much in between visits, but all the planes and various mission theater shows keep us coming back. When we came in there was no line for tickets, so we only spent a few minutes at the front desk. All employees we spoke with were friendly including the man we got our tickets from. There are multiple buildings with different planes and often there are restorations being done on at least one plane. Guided tours are available for groups if your group prefers an organized way to make sure you learn as much as possible about everything. They do have some rides that are kid focused so we have never ridden them. With kids in mind, they do have a play type room near the men's bathroom. They have a cafe (Kitty Hawk Cafe) and there is a food cart that looks to have some basic snacks near the rides for kids. There is also a gift shop (Fly Buy Museum Store) with books, toys, dolls, and a few other Knick knacks type items all related to what is displayed in the Air Zoo. Bathroom was clean when I used it and other than the play room everything was organized/clean as expected. The bathroom I went in was on the main building with multiple stalls but the handicap stall had an out of order sign on it. Gender-neutral, single-stall restrooms are available in the Space Wing of the Flight Innovation Center if a gender-neutral bathroom is needed. My favorite area was focused on Amelia Earhart in the "women in air and space" focused area. I loved learning about "the riveting real Rosie's of WWII" in the same area. Every turn I made it felt like I was learning something new despite visiting in the past. Besides planes, they also have some motorcycles, uniforms in display boxes, and weapons that were used in WWII. If you love history and/or planes, the Air Zoo is a must visit at least once.

    The tin goose
    Art J.

    Well my friend all of a sudden invited me to this aircraft museum it was nice. It was in Kalamazoo Michigan. It's actually two buildings we're in the main building but I have to brave the cold since we're here in the winter. It was kind of like an amusement park too since they had kid rides and was very child friendly then just aviation alone after all they had a Canon from world war 1 in which I learned that takes five people to load the projectile and of course they cover a Ford model car and a BMW motorcycle since I'm also into motorcycles. I would like to give it four stars but it didn't seem that big of an exhibit that you would spend long hours of learning and enjoyment. They do cover beyond aeronautics with space and the early days of being an astronaut in the capsules like Apollo before astronauts had tofly an aircraft shuttle like the Challenger. Otherwise for $18 admission I guess that's not bad but I can't really give it four stars I expected more in the exhibit

    Michael M.

    This museum is amazing! I come from the backyard of EAA, and I'm impressed with Air Zoo! There's so much to see. The staff is amazing! I stop here every year during my visit to MIS for the NASCAR race. Highly recommend!

    P-39 one of the under appreciated early war aircraft
    Mark C.

    Good collection of aircraft. Beautiful facility right next to airport, so you can even fly in. Rare Hispano made Bf-109 that appeared in "The Battle of Britain" movie. Rare one of a kind Curtiss Accender aircraft. F-14 Tomcat is decked out as VF-84 version in a gallery with an A-4 and F-8 from the Vietnam era and a F-18. The SR-71 Blackbird is a real treat. However, my favorite is the back gallery featuring the WW2 era Navy aircraft. Hellcat, Wildcat, Dauntless and Corsair share the space with trainers like the Stearman and a C-47 towing a D-Day Glider. Great educational exhibits and kid activities too.

    Saturn V engine

    This place is a true jewel for any aviation enthusiast, even the most casual. The exhibits are outstanding. The amount of immersion added by the curators is effective. You almost feel as though you are there when they were operational. This may be smaller and not government funded, but is easily on par with top museums, even the Smithsonian or AF museum. The staff and docents are amazing. Their passion will infect anyone who comes through those doors. They will treat you like you are an old friend right away. Even more amazing is their education efforts for kids. they even have dedicated classrooms for education projects. And just when you think it can't get better, you wander into the restoration hangar. Definitely world class. The accessibility is outstanding and folks back there are happy to explain the amazing work they are doing. Bottom line: If you have a day you can play in Kalamazoo, this is THE place to spend it!

    Andrea M.

    Loved our visit more than we expected! They have two buildings, the original building and the new sparkly one. In the original building, you can see the aircrafts they are currently restoring and many different aircrafts. In the new building there are so many interactive exhibits and games for the whole family! They also have fantastic rides and experiences. We loved how they showcased woman and people of color more than many places. The contributions of women and people of color to the world of aviation has been remarkable and it was great to see that on full display. The staff was stellar!! Beyond helpful and so knowledgeable! I was amazed by the staff and volunteers. Morgan in the old building was working on restoration and was amazing at explaining the process to us. They also have 50% off admission for military which we always appreciate. We will visit again and bring family.

    David , was very resourceful and offered many information.
    Enas B.

    The place is very spacious. There are 2 buildings ful of air plans. We spent 2 hours in one building while we didn't get the chance to see the 2nd one. There are many simulators .we tried one that was more like video games.it was fun. David showd us around and explained the history of many airplanes. We are thankful to his hospitality and skills. It was a great experience an fun even for people who don't have particular interest in airplanes.

    Cassandra D.

    Gosh, what can we say about The Air Zoo? Our family has been members of The Air Zoo for over 2 years now. The staff is knowledgeable and always willing to give educational information on each and every aircraft or exhibit. Our son had attended summer camps, spring break camps and Boy Scouts events. Each and every individual working with the kids is absolutely amazing and impactful to their education. We highly recommend having your children attend the camps at The Air Zoo! Our family rule is that we have to lean about 3 new aircrafts and two educational exhibit before we ride rides! There is so much to see and do! Also, don't forget the amazing gift shop. We do a lot of Christmas shopping there. The cafe Kitty Hawk has a wonderful selection of snack and meals while you visit. But our family highly recommends The Air Zoo membership.

    Becky H.

    My boys love to come to the Air Zoo! Lots of planes to see along with army vehicles, spacecraft, and history about flight. While you can't go in any of the planes you can get close enough to see inside most and read about what they were used for. My kids love the rides they have. There are 4 rides for children of all ages. There is also a kids room with some manipulative that change from time to time.

    Such amazing veterans

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    5 years ago

    Great experience! Love the Air Zoo and museum! It's a great experience for kids, too! We really enjoyed taking our grandkids there!

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    3 years ago

    Amazing experience! Absolutely loved all the planes and exhibits and my toddler had a great time as well!

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    Awesome museum with very cool historical info, big planes, nice staff and fun kiddie rides.

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    3 years ago

    A gem of an air museum. We are fortunate to have it here. The volunteers there are friendly and helpful

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    Ask the Community - Air Zoo

    Review Highlights - Air Zoo

    How often do you get to see an aircraft that had been recovered from the lake and in process of restoration?

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    Kalamazoo Valley Museum

    Kalamazoo Valley Museum

    4.5
    (34 reviews)
    4.7 mi

    This is such a great free museum! Nate and I were in town recently and wanted something to do, so…read morewe stopped in. We were greeted at the front desk and given the layout of the museum. I love that they have free lockers to store your coat and personal items. Really handy as we had our winter coats on. The museum has a few special exhibits as well as a permanent collection that includes a ton of information on the history of Kalamazoo, a mummy, and a planetarium. (The planetarium show is $3 per person.) We learned about the Kalamazoo State Hospital and explored the super cool traveling exhibit Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity. I learned a lot about animals' skin and their adaptations, how skin has informed technology, and how skin has affected people historically in terms of racism and prejudice. There are a few interactive elements to the exhibit but I think it would be best for middle school kids and up. The museum overall was well kept and for the most part had working installations. I saw some kids playing and the history of Kalamazoo was really interesting. It took us about two hours to explore the museum. It's not a place I need to go every time I'm in Kalamazoo, but I would say if you're a local and have never been, you should check it out. Or if you're visiting and looking for an indoor activity!

    It's been many, many years since I've been to the museum. I was very proud to show my friend and…read moreher little one. The building of wonders and artifacts. I was surprised to see so many cool new things like a small diner, a storyboard, sounds machines, wind tunnels. It was really cool! Some of the local favorites were still there. Including the mummy which we just had to check out. After looking at that we went and played a game of fact or opinion! We didn't even realize we'd played for hours and hours. Time really does fly when you're having fun!

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    Skin exhibit
    Skin exhibit
    Kalamazoo Valley Museum
    Kalamazoo Valley Museum

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    Gilmore Car Museum

    Gilmore Car Museum

    4.9
    (91 reviews)
    16.3 mi

    Only 90 reviews so far? That is surprising for a place this large and this well put together…read more The Gilmore Car Museum is much more than a single building filled with old cars. It is an entire campus with multiple buildings, historic-looking streets, a vintage diner, recreated service stations, and separate exhibits covering different manufacturers and periods of automotive history. There is a lot to see, and it would be easy to spend most of the day here without getting through everything. The quality of the environment is what really stands out. The buildings, signs, displays, and surrounding grounds all feel carefully planned and maintained. It has an almost Disneyland-level attention to detail, just without the rides. Instead of simply placing cars in rows, many of the vehicles are displayed in settings that help explain their history and make the experience more interesting. The collection itself is extensive, ranging from very early automobiles to unusual prototypes, luxury cars, and more familiar classics. The vehicles we saw were in excellent condition, and the exhibits included enough information to provide context without turning every stop into a long reading assignment. The staff members we encountered were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly interested in the museum. The entire property was also exceptionally clean and well maintained. Even people who are not serious car enthusiasts could appreciate the history, architecture, and effort that went into creating this place. For anyone interested in automobiles, it is absolutely worth going out of the way to visit.

    This museum took my dad and I back down memory lane. If you're looking to relive core memories with…read moreyour family this is the place that you need to go. I'd like to start by mentioning the staff. They were incredibly friendly, welcoming and accommodating. They took the time to explain everything to us and made us feel like we were part of the family. Now let's get to the fun part the cars! I can tell that these curators take time making sure these cars are immaculately clean. They make sure that they give you historical anecdotes and touches and they really care about the community. I really liked their historical section focusing on African-American women and their history with cars. They offer so many dining options although I didn't see any vegan food on the menu I was able to obtain some chips. If you're someone who enjoys an alcoholic beverage, they do have a beautiful bar section as well. My dad enjoyed the peach pie, which you can find in a diner that is retrofitted to look like a historical diner. We also went when there was a car show so we not only had the opportunity to see all the historical vehicles within the museum. We had the beautiful opportunity to see cars from people traveling from around the world. A awesome hidden touch that a lot of people were unaware of is there is a slot car track at the museum take your time explore all the buildings you might be surprised of what you find. I want to thank the staff at the Gilmore car museum. You helped build a beautiful core memory with my dad and I.

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    Gilmore Car Museum
    Gilmore Car Museum
    Fonzie's motorcycle

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    Fonzie's motorcycle
    Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

    Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

    4.1
    (20 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    This is an impressive small city museum, and I love that it is community-focused and has an art…read morelibrary and school along with the gallery space. My favorite of the current exhibits is the 'Cobalt to Indigo' Asian display. The high school pieces are impressive too. The museum is free on Thursdays and has a free parking lot across from the back of the building.

    I love art museums, so I was excited to check out KIA while in town recently. Entry is only $5 for…read moreadults, $2 for students, and free for members, children through age 12, and active military personnel. There is free parking available in parking lots across from entrances on South and Lovell streets. The museum wasn't busy when we were there, which was nice as we were able to leisurely wander the galleries. It's not a huge museum, but I loved the Kyungmi Shin: A Story to Finding Us exhibit (through May 12, 2024). The artworks were stunning and I loved trying to find hidden images in each. The other main exhibit was American Realism: Visions of America, 1900-1950, which didn't resonate with me personally as much, but it was still interesting to see. The permanent collection downstairs was nice - I especially liked the Tiffany lamps and jewelry. There is a Chihuly sculpture hanging in the entryway, which is really cool to see. The gift shop is nicely curated with lots of great books, gifts, and more. Nate got a cute little cat shaped ceramic chopstick rest!

    Photos
    Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
    Photo by Colleen Woolpert, from the exhibition Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Centry
    Photo by Colleen Woolpert, from the exhibition Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Centry
    Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

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    Air Zoo - museums - Updated July 2026

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