We came here for open cockpit day on Father's Day. My husband is an airplane enthusiast and also loves Indiana Jones so this was a perfect fit. We paid the extra ten dollars for the Solent flying boat tour and he was able to sit in the same seat as Harrison Ford in Raiders of the last Ark! We also were able to sit in the cockpit of several other planes. Several aviation groups were tabling. The European miniature Train enthusiasts had a large display set up. All of the staff and volunteers were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. It was a great day. We will definitely be back. read more

Its a small place which is perfect for an infant or toddler who has not been to a museum before. I love how it's both indoor and outdoor. Average time spent may vary from 20 mins to 2 hours. Groupon has good rates for it - like 50% off so do check that out! The staff is friendly and the small planes are cute. They do have a picnic table outside if you want to bring a snack and eat outside. They do have their own free parking lot which makes it convenient. read more

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We got tickets on Groupon, which made it a reasonable visit for our family. Even though it was small, needed facility updates, and was a little disorganized, we stayed there longer than expected. A lot of the planes were replicas. Many were kits without much historical value. As for aviation history, I learned about Amelia Earhart's connection to Oakland, the importance of Oakland to the connection to Hawaii and the Pacific countries, and about women in aviation and Black Americans in aviation. They wanted to pack all the things under one roof, so I found it to be disjointed information overload, but my husband really enjoyed it. No snacks or beverages for sale, but there are picnic tables outside. read more

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Father's Day special! It was a perfect opportunity to go see all the amazing airplane models and special day to enter the cockpits. We parked across the road near the hangers. Our kiddo was thrilled to see the tiny planes getting pushed into hanger. The surprise was the train exhibition and that was the star of the day. Specially the step stools all around for the little ones to look at the trains go was a big plus! Loved the scene of the fire station and a blue train! Big applaud to the band playing and little area where kids could enjoy playing with planes. All the young and adults can enjoy this place. Definitely once more when little older kinda museum. read more

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This was a great Museum!! Only $20 to enter, which is well worth it!! There's a lot to see here, inside and outside. There are a lot of rooms inside, including the engine room, movie room, the Luftwaffe, General Doolittle along with some very good reads on all things Aviation!! Everything from Amelia Earhart to the Red Tails to the Wright Brothers is here. There is a strong military presence here, at least to me, lots of military aircraft inside and outside. I've driven past this Museum so many times and have always wanted to stop and check it out, so glad I did!!! read more

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Small and beautiful museum. Very good information of how the aviation started at Oakland. read more

Oakland Aviation Museum - Museums Near Me - Oakland, California

Located in the North Field of the Oakland International Airport and between the rental car returns and the OIA terminal, you will find the Oakland Aviation Museum. I stopped in as I had a couple hours to spare and it was a good stop. First; admission is $20 per person. Second, you will find a pleasant host and cashier when you enter. Third, you will learn about Oakland's role in air transportation and everything Navy, albeit air and sea! I found a book about Pan American Airways for my lady friend who was a flight attendant for Pan Am when flying was a luxury. I got to see the plane and gears for the flown plane by Orville & Wilber Wright (and I just can't imagine how they got it up in the air and now, the rest is history) A great quick educational stop. Recommend !! read more

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Unique aviation museum set in a vintage hangar. Located in Oakland International Airport's historic North Field, it is very convenient to the airport. Nice collection of restored military and civilian planes as well as replicas of historic flights. Interesting to see a replica of the plane flown by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, a replica of the famed "Red Tail" Mustang flown by the illustrious "Tuskegee Airmen," and restored F-14 Tomcat, Douglas Skyhawk and Skywarrior planes. The Short Solent Mark III Flying Boat was built for the RAF. It was later converted for commercial travel to exotic destinations like the Egyptian Nile, Tasmania and the South Pacific. It was featured in " The Raiders of the Lost Ark." It is one of only two of its type remaining in the world today. Great for a short visit on the way to the airport near the car rental return area. Plenty of parking. Check the schedule for open cockpit days. read more

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This is a small aviation museum has some cool exhibits. A section on Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, and Redtails. The outside has a F14, Harrier, some other aircraft's. Bought my tickets on Groupon so it was very inexpensive. read more

Smallish museum but if you are into airplanes, it a great 1-2 hour visit. The airplanes outside need some TLC and better signage read more

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Date: 4/24/2021 Time: 3:00 PM 65° Sunny The purpose of my visit was to find out if the museum has an educational program to encourage local young African American men and/or women who are considering a pursuit of a career in aviation. I have been asked to do a research on a project that a few of us Oakland Tech alumnus are working on to honor the legacy of one of my classmates, Wanda A. Green, flight attendant of UA Flight 93 who lost her life on September 11, 2001. The volunteer at the front desk was very helpful and provided me with a business card to contact Ian Wright, M.A., Director of Operations. The museum is opened Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Last entry to the museum is 3:00 PM. Admission is $12 for seniors (60 and over); $15 for adults. Unfortunately, I did not jot down the admission price for military vets and young adults. While my husband and I were touring the museum on our own, we appreciated the exhibits and history. It was when we were outdoor that a docent gave us more history of the flying machines. In one of the smaller rooms was an exhibit of female pilots. I learned that Bessie Coleman was the first female pilot to fly a plane. Because of her skin color, she was not taught how to fly in this country, but she had to travel to France twice for flying lessons. To my surprise, Bessie Coleman even had a flying school in Oakland. Wow...I never knew that. I learned something new during my visit. Thanks to the docent who was there to give us more detailed history, which made our visit interesting and enjoyable. read more

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Great place, staff is friendly and professional. Gayle is the best, she makes each of our visits very memorable and enjoyable. The kids love her, she is very knowledgeable and helpful. Thank you Gayle and OAM! read more

Oakland Aviation Museum - Museums Near Me - Oakland, California

Such a cool museum for kids (and adults too!). Came with two 2yo kiddos and a baby and we had so much fun. Only caveat is that the indoor portion is a true museum so you can't touch those planes. The outside planes are available for touching and exploring though. Lots of cool exhibits and types of aircraft. They have a flight simulator too and some cool interactive things for kids to do. Definitely a must if you have a child who loves planes. It's also near the oakland airport so you can see planes taking off and landing from the front area. read more

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This place is incredible for the airplane enthusiasts in your life! We have been going here a handful of times and it just occurred to me to ask about a family membership. Sure enough, they do have memberships which I undoubtedly recommend. This place is right next to Oakland Airport in an old hanger. They've got tons of informational/education context that shared Oakland history and even exhibits about the Tuskegee airmen. I love that they are indoor/outdoor and very well ventilated (given COVID) I would say (given their location in a hangar provided a huge open wall). I love their special days where they bring in a live band, food and even model railroad trains. Their gift shop is also a dream with tons of options for airplane lovers (AKA my two children). Gail who is usually at the front desk is always so helpful and awesome so I couldn't recommend this spot more. It is a hidden gem in Oakland! read more

Dropped by for the first time. We had a good deal on the tickets via Groupon. The museum planes were interesting to look at along with some of the old aviation memorabilia. Overall a good way to spend an hour or two. read more

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We were early to the airport for our flight and had time to visit this very interesting museum.

We got a deal off Groupon and visited on a Sunday afternoon. It takes about an hour to walk around and look at all the different exhibits. Most if not all of the planes are museum pieces so no touching allowed. It was pretty neat to see all the different historical pieces along with displays. The posters and articles are a bit dated and could use some color reprints with new info. There are also flight simulator rides available for purchase although I did not try it out. It takes about 1-2 hours. Look out for the open cockpit days on their website. read more

Oakland Aviation Museum - Museums Near Me - Oakland, California

My buddy and I had a really good time at this museum, it exceeded our initial expectations based on the initial appearance When we first got there we were a little concerned because it looked old and it looked very small. But we met a very helpful assistant inside and ended up spending twice as long as we thought we would be getting historical information and details on the engines and planes and some history about Oakland too. Just my opinion but it's worth a visit if you are in aviation buff at all, and/or are interested in Oakland history. read more

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Great Collection of Vintage Planes To Admire & Place In Historical Context SITREP West Coast Aviation comes alive here at the Oakland Aviation Museum (Museum) located on the Old North Field of the Oakland International Airport, and the Museum has a solid collection of many different kinds of aircraft from our country's aviation history. THE SETUP I'm a total geek who loves museums. But as a private pilot I also love planes. This stop brings together two (2) very enjoyable studies of mine in one place and I couldn't be happier! AIRPLANE OR AIRCRAFT? Even though some terms are used synonymous with each other, they are actually terms of art. For example, we often use "airplane" or "aircraft" synonymously, but they mean different things: * The denotative definition of "aircraft" means any craft that flies through the air, whether it be an airplane, helicopter, missile, glider, balloon, blimp, or any other vehicle that uses the air to generate lift for flight. * Whereas, the denotative definition of "airplane", is more specific to a powered aircraft that relies on fixed wings to generate lift. * For example, a commercial airline jet is both aircraft AND airplane. However, a military attack helicopter is an aircraft, but NOT an airplane. EVENTS The Museum has regularly scheduled events throughout the year for everyone to enjoy, all of them getting you an opportunity to get up close & personal with the aircraft. One of the best events is the "Open Cockpit Days" which allows you to get right into the cockpit of the aircraft: * Tour the Solent Flying Boat that appeared in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"; * Check out a Korean War-era MiG-15 that the Chinese & Russians used in dog fights against American Pilots; * Check out a recording of a Navy A-3 Sky Warrior taking of & landing from an aircraft carrier. Lots of fun stuff to check out on different days! DISCOUNT LIMITATIONS Groupons and Amazon passes are good on the museums' regular days of operation, but they are not doable on the special event days (ie. "Open Cockpit Days"). So check in advance before making a trek down here to the Museum - like we did from Sacramento - before finding out that your Groupon does not work on this Blackout Day. THE LOWDOWN The Oakland Aviation Museum is a fantastic stop for anyone who has a love and appreciation for the world of aircraft and flying. read more

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I went to the Oakland Aviation Museum for the Open Cockpit Day, Father's Day Sun 6/20/10 from 12p-4p. We got there early, 5 min before 10am, to check out the museum before all the other people showed up. The museum is open Wed-Sun from 10-4p, not many people read that. I did, so we got the museum to ourselves for almost 2hrs. Sweet. It's not a big museum, you can see the entire place in about 1hr going at a slow pace & reading, taking pics, watching the movie. The movie was from about 1927 to Present of the Oakland Museum and mentioned that Amelia Earhart left from Oakland Airport for one of her flights. Did u know the Flight Data Recorder aka "Black Box" is actually Orange? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/YBUnIDU163ejXKs3dNqy6Q?select=f5qgqVaRGiG9OBFMqWeTGg At noon they let people check out the Cockpits of several planes outside. The most famous one is Short Solent Mark III Flying Boat City of Cardiff that was used in the film "Indiana Jones & the Raider of the Lost Art" in 1981. It's a huge plane & very fancy looking inside especially for it's time. Regular cost $5 for a visit w/ tour, but Open Cockpit Day is $9 for everything. I went into the Cockpits of about 4 planes. They are small, cramped areas. I don't know how pilots work in those conditions. Inside the museum are separate bathrooms (middle of museum on the right) & a small gift shop by the entrance. The next Open Cockpit Day is Sunday, July 18, 2010 from 12-4p. Admission: $9 adults (No AAA Discount) $8 Seniors $7 Military/Teen w/ ID $5 Kids 6-12 Kids 5 and under & Members are FREE! website: www.oaklandaviationmuseum.org read more

Oakland Aviation Museum - flight data recorder aka "Black Box" - Museums Near Me - Oakland, California

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I've an amazing experience at this place. My son loved it and always wants to go again and again. I'd highly recommend aviation museum for kids with 4-10 years old. read more

Tons of cool planes from the past and the present for the kids to look at. Some hands on exhibits as well. When you go in the morning it's not crowded at all. The staff that works there are super friendly and knowledgeable too! Highly recommend! read more

I visited this museum this morning before flying home. I wasn't expecting much since I have been in aviation museums that looked like this one before. I was pleasantly surprised! Paying the $10 entry for adults I walked into the old Boeing School of Aeronautics hangar. Inside are several beautifully restored antique general aviation aircraft including a replica of a Wright Flyer. On each side of the hangar are rooms dedicated to a particular theme. One room was all about piston and jet engines that I found very interesting with many famous ones in there. Other rooms commemorated Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, Navy pilots, Black pilots, Women pilots, etc. Other exhibits remembered different commercial airlines. There are several military jet aircraft on display too both indoor and outdoor. Outside are 7 or 8 more aircraft highlighted by a Short Solent flying boat. Parking is easy directly in front of the museum. I would budget 1 hour to go through the museum at a reasonable pace. There are a lot of things to read and look at. I could see staying here for up to a couple of hours for the aviation enthusiast. Pay attention to their days and hours...Wednesday thru Sunday 10:00 a.m. To 4:00 p.m. read more

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Super cool place to bring your toddler on a rainy day. There's lots of space inside to play, lots of aircrafts and other artifacts to look at, and even a play table with little toys for the tots. Since the under four set are free, an annual membership only costs $55 for one parent and a child under four. read more

A hidden treasure in Oakland/Alameda. Wonderful display of aviation history. I particularly liked the women flyers room. Sunday September 18 is open cockpit. It is an opportunity to really get a Birdseye view inside these planes from the past. When I visited I was surprised and delighted to see ETE's model railroad display with trains being operated. The display includes two differ t tracks meandering through numerous European scenes. I could see the excitement it brought the young spectators. Af missing is reasonable and worth the fee. The museum can be rented for events. read more

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Very cute place, but incredibly empty and not too much to look at. Of course, this is coming from someone who is used to larger museums, so it's definitely better than nothing. Had lots of interactive exhibits that were closed unfortunately. Seems like a place that used to be lively until the community forgot about it. read more

Being involved in aviation all my life, I'm a bit partial toward places like this. That being said, I've been to just about everything from boneyards to restoration facilities to manufacturing facilities. Aviation history is so vast...that each and every aviation museum plays an important part of preserving the excitement and influence aviation has brought into our society. This small museum has some really cool memorabilia including general, commercial, and military aviation. The staff was particularly helpful in providing cool historic facts. Part of interesting aspects to this particular museum is its location...next to the Oakland Int'l Airport...the departing place for Amelia Earhart's historic flight from the US...of which she was to never return. There's not a lot of aircraft on display here...the smaller ones are inside and there are a few large aircraft outside. They also have an F-18 simulator you fly (for a small fee). This place is tucked in there and a little hard to find...but there are signs once you're close (near rental car lots for OAK). If you're flying out of OAK and find yourself with some extra time to kill, you might want to stop in here first. Being small, you can see everything easily within an hour...but I suggest you spend 1-2 hrs and read the background on the displays and ask questions of the staff. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays! read more

At first I was a little luke warm about the museum. It's pleasant and very informative but a little unspectacular (and the luggage tag exhibit seemed like it had been unattended for a while). Then I met Dale. He was incredibly informative and funny.. and he eventually got me hooked on the Virtual reality F-18. DO NOT MISS THE VR F-18! Yes, its an extra cost but after you buzz the virtual bay bridge and fly underneath the span of the virtual Golden Gate you'll be happy you ponied up the dough. Good times read more

This volunteer run, non-profit aviation museum located in an old hangar on the grounds of the historic North Field doesn't have much polish (looks a bit run down, some of the signs are crooked) but it has plenty of history. There are various rooms (old offices and conference rooms) that are dedicated to aspects of aviation history including: American Legion/space room, Women in aviation room, Transocean Airlines rooms, military aviation room with model planes, engine room, etc. The main areas are the hangar where you'll see various old planes (most are replica models) and the outside area with modern planes (mostly American military planes). There are plaques and signs that tell the story of aviation, with an emphasis on Oakland's role in aviation history. I recommend starting by heading to the theater to watch the documentary on the North Field. It helps you understand the collection they've amassed and the historic significance of Oakland. The North Field was the earliest airfield in the Bay Area and it was visited by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Amelia's last flight originated from the North Field. They had one Chinese plane built by Russia. There's also a bust of Feng Ru, a Chinese man who played a significant role in early aviation history. Tours are self-guided except for the $5 tour of the British BOAC City of Cardiff Solent flying boat. It's the only plane you can enter and they even offer dinners (the menus are recreations of what was once served on the Solent) onboard once a month. They have a small gift shop. Aircraft restoration work continues on the site. Adult admission is $9. read more

Wonderful hidden gem of Oakland. Secretly it is also one of the best venues available for weddings in the area. No ridiculous uncharges for things, tons of flexibility, and the staff does everything to make the experience wonderful. Love this place. read more

Highway to the Danger Zone! So, while it may not necessarily take your breath away, the Oakland Aviation Museum is indeed a fun time out for all you would be Mavericks and IceMans out there, young and old alike, minus the beach volleyball court, of course. Housed in an old, dare I say, almost decrepit warehouse near the Oakland airport, this museum takes you on an interesting journey through the annals of aviation history, from commercial to military, with a particular emphasis on the Oakland airport and the Bay Area as a whole. When you first pull up to the entrance, the area is very nondescript, and almost uninviting, but the children's play section out front, with kid-sized planes and even a control tower, is a welcoming touch. From that point on, you can tell that the whole family is in for a treat. In the main indoor corridor, There are full-sized mock ups of various types of personal aircraft from different eras, as well as real engines. Of course, there is a tribute to the original flyboys, the Wright Brothers (although this has been put in dispute recently) and to other figures of aviation lore you may have never heard about, such as Feng Ru, the "Father of Chinese Aviation." He was the first person to pilot a plane on the West Coast, flying over Oakland and Piedmont on September 21, 1909. Military buffs will enjoy the sections dedicated to the Navy, with miniature models of fighter jets and aircraft carriers, along with brief history lessons on various wars over the years. The highlight is undoubtedly the outdoor area, where actual military aircraft can be witnessed up close and personal. Unfortunately, patrons are not allowed to actually climb aboard, but this is completely understandable. An F-14 Tomcat, a transportation craft, and even a Harrier jet can all be found out here. Make sure to save an ample amount of time to dedicate to this part, especially with little Billy and Sally, as it makes for amazing photo opportunities. In the end, the Oakland Aviation Museum isn't necessarily something to make a special trip for unless you are a huge fan of aircraft. However, if you are in the vicinity, it is certainly worth a stop, and is a productive way to spend a weekend afternoon with the family for some good old fashioned educational entertainment. read more

This is a great museum and I have updated them to 5 stars; I got to see the star attraction at a Yelp event, The flying boat is really worth seeing. This is really is a very special place run my a group of dedicated volunteers. I hope my earlier review will encourage you to go. read more

We came there in February and we had a blast at the aviation museum my son learned all about airplanes and they were so friendly even let my son get into some of the airplanes we will definitely come back when we are in the Oakland alameda area!!! read more

What a hidden gem! My teen is a plane buff and he had an amazing time here. They have a very unique collection of aircrafts, the staff (shout out to Dale!) are super helpful and welcoming, and there are no crowds! If you go, you must must check out the simulator. If you're a student, admission is only $10. read more

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I visited the museum on one of their Open Cockpit Days. It was fun to be able to climb into their wide variety of planes and get my hands on the controls. The ginormous plane from Indiana Jones was really special. I also loved their exhibition about the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) from WWII. My grandmother was a WASP, who also served as an air traffic controller at the Oakland airport towards the end of the war. I would highly recommend everyone to check the museum out on an Open Cockpit Day. It's especially great for families as it is low-cost and allows you to give kids a bit of an educational experience while they can have fun climbing all over these big machines. read more

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I'd really love to rate this place a little higher, but you can really tell it's not well funded. The people working/volunteering there are great, and they know their stuff, but unfortunately the volunteers can't be there every day, so it can be a bit hit or miss. This is really a good experience for anyone interested in flight, and especially for kids who love planes. They have a range of planes you can get up close and personal with, but also some that have signs specifically stating that a particular plane can not be climbed into (yet some people ignore it unfortunately). Some of the side rooms have a wealth of information about early flight, military and space personnel, and women in history. There are so many photos to look at and so much text to read that to see it all, plus the aircraft outside, you'd need at least a few hours. While all the info is good, some of is a little unorganized, and plenty of the text has typos and grammatical errors. They have a few things that have significance in movie history, my favorite among them being a plane used in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The volunteer who know a lot about the plane was great, but when he isn't there, nobody would know its part in the movie since there is no placard/text to tell you about it. This is one of the ways you can see where a little more time/money would help this place out. They have a small gift shop, and they sell food there as well in case you go around lunchtime. Like many museums nowadays, I'm sure they're doing the best with what they've got. Come out and support them if you can. read more

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Being kind of a military plane geek this is one of my favorite places to visit in the Bay Area. If you're into vintage aircraft, you've got to check this place out. They have a spacious, changing, indoor and outdoor layout which shows off the collection nicely. Located just outside of the Oakland airport, its theme-fitting for its surroundings and great for kids, history buffs, and plane enthusiasts. Staff is wonderful and helpful, par for the course for this type of place but yeah, Pam and Scott take great care. They've do tours, weekend events, corporate meetings, even weddings. read more

We felt we had an alright experience. The museum is quite dated with limited interactive exhibits. We brought children and found few things to engage them besides looking at the planes and some old control panels. There are 3 open cockpit days a year, thus if going in any other day there are no cockpits to sit in. The one plane you could enter was closed by the time we went. We found the experience at other museums such as the USS Midway Museum in San Diego more impressive. Overall we found the Oakland museum interesting but somewhat antiquated. Tickets prices are not inexpensive at $15 per adult. read more

A museum amidst an area that most people associate with the airport and rental cars! I was surprised at how many times I had driven by this area before, and had never noticed a museum. Tons of history and really interesting planes... the highlight of my visit was being able to board the BOAC that had been on Indiana Jones. It was a fun adventure boarding the plane and wandering through the different areas. The volunteers were super friendly and passionate about educating us on the history of the plane. If you're expecting a large, polished, modernized museum, this probably will not be the place for you. If you're looking for something more low key, have any interest in aviation, and are okay with a relatively smaller museum, this is the place to be! I will have to come back and visit on Open Cockpit Days... those sound amazing! :D read more

Who knew this place existed? Thanks to Yelp Elite's wonderful parties, I now do, and I haven't stopped talking about it. You can get up close and personal with all of these old planes and appreciate the history of flight without being an aviation aficionado. The very best part is the British water-landing plane from the 40s/50s that flew from London to South Africa over 4 days. You tour the interior -- a pink powder room for the ladies, a small sleek bar, tropical paintings on the wall -- and you really want to come back for the Museum's Solent Dinner when they serve you the high flyin' 5-course meal they served back then. Sounds like a special treat in my future. read more