We had a half of a day to kill before our Omaha flight and wanted to see this museum. So glad we went, the exhibits are very well documented and span the range from missiles and bombs, to drones, bombers, tankers, fighters, helicopters, and lunar modules from WWII onward and even a prototype Artemis lander. Flight simulators, a theater continuously screening space and air related films, and lots of activities for the kids plus some outside exhibits and benches for enjoying the view round out the experience. The entrance to the museum is beautifully constructed with a SR-71 Blackbird hanging from the ceiling. Many of the exhibits were very unique aircraft including a Quail decoy for the B-52 bomber, one of only 2 XF-85 Goblin parasite fighter escorts ever built, an EC-235C Looking Glass lying command center, a B-58A (one of only 6 remaining) mid range bomber which was the first bomber to break Mach II, first to have stellar-inertial nav and first to have a stainless steel honeycomb structure, and the B-36J was really unique with 6 pusher engines plus turbojets - the largest bomber ever built, plus many more items. read more

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This is a gem of a museum and worth the drive to Ashland. The rotating exhibits are a draw, such as the recent Star Wars fun, but the standing exhibits are worth the visit on their own. We've been here several times over the years and the museum never always looks well maintained and current. Love that Nebraska's astronaut is the current CEO of the museum! read more

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It was hard to tell what I was looking at. The signs for the planes weren't always in front of the right plane or had no sign at all. Very dusty. It would benefits with cleaning and updating. Some QR codes would be nice so you could scan them and hear about the plane you are in front of. It would also be great if you could look into more of them and possibly sit in at least a few. The nasa things looked neat but you couldn't see in the capsules. Time to open up the planes and let you look inside. Pretty empty when I was there like everyone already knew this place needs some updates. read more

They really stepped up their game with this latest exhibit. Star Wars has taken over. Amazing toys/merch, outfits and replicas from the movies. All the movie posters were represented. There was a fun game as well. The cafe even got in on the fun with a Star Wars themed menu. Highly recommend checking it out. read more

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Great air and space museum! For dads and kids! More aircraft than before! A very kid friendly plane fan destination! A space themed restroom with space music and LED stars on the ceiling, with arcade game outside. Movies, cafe, planetarium, and planes, planes, planes! Easily rivals the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport in Virginia! Of note are the B-29, B-25, B-17 from WW II. Very huge B-52 and B-36 Peacemaker! Many other special aircraft. Plenty of activities for kids. Could spend from 1 hr to all day here. read more

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I like to try to visit the SAC at least once a year. My toddler has recently taken up a big interest in planes, so this most recent time was definitely a highlight for her. It's amazing how many aircraft's they house here at the museum and how knowledgeable the staff is. I love that there is so much to look at and their exhibits can capture the attention of people of all ages. My daughter's personal favorite exhibit piece is most definitely the open cockpit. She loves all of the lights and the broadcast sounds. My favorite part of the museum is honestly the bathrooms. I know that's such an odd thing to say, but they are so cool! They really thought of everything to make you feel like you are in space. We also had the opportunity to eat at the cafe. I ordered chicken strips and fries to share with my toddler. The chicken was excellent for a quick meal and I thought everything on the menu was priced fairly affordably. We can't wait to visit again! read more

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Went for a little day trip and had so much fun! A lot of the planes you can go in and see different parts of the interior! The Hubble telescope has its own exhibit right now that is a lot of reading so idk how much young kids would enjoy it but it is very interesting! We did the extra "star show" but I think their amphitheater was closed for repair or something because they had a blow up replacement one which was not as impressive! Tickets were like $16 per person read more

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Very cool museum. All inside and easy to walk around. You can go inside a few planes. They have a gift shop and a little eatery. You can also pay extra to ride the virtual rides which are amazing and very inexpensive. read more

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I have fond memories of visiting this museum as a child; I grew up an Air Force brat, and going with my Dad was like having my own personal tour guide, so I have had a long relationship with the Strategic Air Command Museum. We moved back to NE recently, and they have since made this museum an essential must-visit. Although it is a little drive out from Omaha, we bring all of our guests here and have even purchased the yearly family pass. There is something for everyone at this museum, and is entertaining for all ages and audiences. The exhibits have informative signage to explain what you're looking at, and the tour guides and staff are the best. There have been multiple instances of staff approaching me or my party to offer insight on something we are looking at, and it has always made the experience even more valuable. There is a food court and gift shop, both of which have many options, and truly something for everyone. There are also flight simulator rides that seem to be pretty popular; they usually have a line but maybe next time I will test it out. I would highly recommend taking a visit here, and if you or your family is military-connected, taking advantage of the discounts they offer! read more

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum - Museums Near Me - Ashland, Nebraska

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This is a pretty AweSoMe museum! I'm a big fan of aviation museums and have been looking for an excuse to come to Nebraska. So with our nephew graduating this year in Omaha, I was set to get on a plane. The museum is about 30 miles SW of Omaha, so it's an easy drive down I-80. The namesake Strategic Air Command is a Cold War division of the U.S. Air Force consisting of the bombers and missiles in defense of the USA for almost 50 years, but has been defunct since 1992. You might remember the 1955 Jimmy Stewart movie of the same name. The relics from its history were formed into a museum that was previously located at nearby Offutt AFB, but now has its own location outside of Ashland. Free parking is ample and as you drive up, you see the full size B-1A bomber guarding the entrance. Then you see the Atlas missile stationed at the building entrance. Inside, you come face to nose with an SR-71 Blackbird, famous for its Mach 3 reconnaissance missions. From there, you branch off into 2 hangars that house relics from jet fighters, all the way up to the monstrous B-36 Peacemaker bomber, one of only 2 on display in the country. Other ubiquitous aircraft like the B-17 Flying Fortress & B-29 Superfortress of WWII and the still serving 70 yr old B-52 Stratofortress are represented here. Most of the floor space is dedicated to the giant bombers, but many of the smaller aircraft are hung up in the rafters like the U-2 spy plane. I was told the newest aircraft on display is the MQ-1 Predator drone that you might have seen recently on TV operating in Afghanistan and Iraq. There are also other aircraft currently being restored in an adjacent hangar like the F-117 stealth fighter and an Avro Vulcan, a British strategic bomber from the 60's. There is a ton of history to be learned here, if you spend the time. You can pre-buy tickets on their website or purchase them at the front desk, with a regular adult ticket price of $16. Because of its remote location, it's never crowded either, which suits me just fine, because I don't like having random people in my plane photos. Definitely worth the time and money! Don't forget to visit the great gift shop on the way out. read more

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I have visited this museum twice since I've lived in Nebraska. I do love to go during the week when it's not as busy so I can really enjoy the museum and read the history and for those who don't know the library offer free passes for this museum and I always take advantage of that offer when I want to visit. The only downside for me is that it's pretty far and I don't always like to take that drive. But if you are looking for a cute cool museum to visit and take your kids, this will be a good one to go to. They also have like a couple of rides for the kids to enjoy and the food court is pretty decent, but you can also bring your own snack and drinks. read more

Maybe it was the car show going on at the same time that made it a bit too confusing and overwhelming, not sure! The airplanes on display and the information throughout the 2 floors of the museum is a lot to take in already so adding another "museum" of sorts made it hard to take it all in! There's a ton of history to absorb and even some fun simulators and VR adventures to go on. The blow up Planetarium show should definitely be included in admission price, it's not worth it's own ticket! If you enjoy military aircraft, this is probably the most comprehensive museum out there! read more

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Brought my kid to the SAC Museum today. What a nostalgic adventure. He loved running around the giant room checking out any and every air craft there was to see. He had so many questions and I loved that it became a mini science and history lesson. They definitely have kids in mind because they have all sorts of interactive stations where kids can build and create. It even looked like they were building a Minecraft area which will for sure go over well with the kids. Their cafe never ceases to impress with so many options for kids. Bonus that I was able to use an Omaha Public Library partnership pass to come for free! read more

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Great way to spend half a day near Omaha. Two massive spaces filled with aircraft and spacecraft, exhibits, and more. Fairly priced for entry and their onsite cafe was cheap! The temporary Star Wars exhibit was a nice bonus! read more

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Super cool place for all ages. Our friends want to go here while visiting and we were more than impressed. There are so many cool planes, exhibits and lots of history to learn about. The coolest thing is all the fun interactive stuff they have to immerse you in the environment. It really gives you a feeling for what it's like. I recommend bringing your children because they will have a blast and learn at the same time. We now have another place to add to our list. read more

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There's a lot to see and interact with at the museum. From aircraft to spacecraft to the human stories behind the scenes and the interactive experiences, you can spend a long time in here. I watched some of the film playing in the theatre and heard some of the information provided by the tour guide, Mike Howard. He had a lot of interesting information about the aircraft and the engineering marvels behind them. And best of all, it was free. I wish I could have done the whole tour but my party wanted to leave. I did climb into the back of a C-119G transport and peer into the cockpit of a B29. And made a sign at the lumen area in the kids zone. Purchased some Nebraska made chocolate and coins from the gift shop. The women's restroom on the first floor had a cool ceiling of 'stars' and a video game outside the entrance. The staff were friendly and personable at the front desk and gift shop. What a fun experience. There's a cafe if you need a snack and even an area with picnic tables to sit at with your own snacks. Recommend! read more

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Wonderful museum filed with planes and artifacts from the SAC and Cold War. Planes, drones, rockets, exhibits, gift store....interactive displays for the kids, restaurant and souvenir shop...recommended read more

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What a fun museum! We had some time to kill so drove out to the museum from Lincoln. It's a short drive and totally worth it if you have any interest in aviation. The museum had lots of static displays and even had hands on activities. The klekos section (rivets) was the favorite station for us adults while there was stations for kids to build and play. The displays were well informed and easy to understand. They were doing remodeling of some stations, but there was still plenty to see and do with some areas revised. We spent a good 2-3 hours at the museum because there was that much to do and read. The gift shop is not overpriced and they have a good variety of gifts for all. Worth a stop if you are nearby! read more

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My wife had been hesitant to visit SAC; however, I asked several times, then she spoke with people who had gone there, and finally I got a positive reply. After our visit, she admitted that she had enjoyed herself. That's high praise indeed! The exhibits are professionally done, varied, and extensive. There is something for those of all ages to see and do. And we did see people of all ages there -- even on a rainy Monday that probably kept some folks sitting inside at home. We loved the variety and sheer numbers of aircraft -- so many and from different eras too! Just getting all those planes in the display areas would have been a Tetris feat... We liked being able to go inside some of them or view through plastic windows to appreciate the cramped spaces that pilots and crew dealt with. We bought tickets for the planetarium show; but didn't think it was worth the additional $3 (senior) or $5 (adult) price. That was mostly about observatories in Chile -- which could probably be seen for free on the Internet. I had hoped for something about stars or constellations that could have been shown on the roof of that small inflatable dome. That part aside, it was a fascinating visit. The sections telling about astronauts were quite informative. The sections giving details about various wars were also very interesting. Another section that I really enjoyed were the Armed Forces specialty football uniforms that ringed the lobby area around the gift shop. BTW, there are some very nice items to purchase in that gift shop. read more

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Awesome surprise on visit to Nebraska! Highlights were the SR-71 Blackbird, the B-17 (my dad's plane during WW2 - not one of his actual aircraft), Stealth fighter....just a huge display. Great place to spend a day in Nebraska. read more

Really neat place! Lots of planes to explore as well interesting exhibits. Interactive exhibits to keep kids interest too. Cafe has a pretty basic menu but nice for a snack or light lunch. This probably sounds silly, but be sure to visit the bathroom on the bottom floor, it's so cool! read more

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum - 2024 cafe menu - Museums Near Me - Ashland, Nebraska

World class. Well worth a day trip. Been to many air museums.. this rates among the best. Obviously great management. A must see!

So much to see and do at this museum. LOVED the tribute to the world trade center towers. Very informative and well set up. read more

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This museum is really cool. It gives you a lot of history of Airforce aircraft's & space the flight simulator was fun. read more

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Not recommended for kids 14 and under. This place is SO EXPENSIVE! $17.50 for an adult and $9 for kids. That means for a family of 4 it will cost you $53 to walk around. It's super dark in the hangers and hard to see well. In one of these hangers there are some experiment type things for kids to learn from. Out of these 7 stations 1 of them worked. All the rest of them were either broken or missing the parts to do the activity. There are do not touch signed on everything... you can't actually get in any planes and look around. My kids were board and we spent about an hour here. An hour for $53. If your older and have no kids this might be an okay afternoon for you to spend waking around slowly and taking in the history. I wouldn't recommend bringing your kids here and thinking your gonna kill an afternoon. read more

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum - 7 experiments in this photo. Only 1 was in working condition. - Museums Near Me - Ashland, Nebraska

Cool to get up close to these amazing and huge planes. There's a good variety of things to keep your interest and it's a fun and entertaining way to learn about the USAF and some of it's aircraft. There's posters with summery labels with details and facts, memorabilia, flight simulators, educational films, and a really cool STEM area that the kiddos can play in while learning through hands on activities. It would be better if some were set-up for access to the inside. Also didn't seem like the museum was keeping up with the appearance of some of the planes...paint chipped and faded; the airplane outside at the front entrance had very faded paint. The owner of this museum should better maintain the aircraft that's on display. read more

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admission discounts this place was great all the hard work put into this is appreciated been wanting to come here for years perfect! gift show lacks some good tshirts read more

Beautiful exterior, really cool planes to look at, lots of fun information to learn, very friendly staff, clean facilities. I visit often and have a great experience every time. Would recommend both for locals and out of state visitors, and I might be biased since I visit so often but I would definitely consider it a must-see for aviation lovers read more

This museum is seriously a gem! The prices of memberships and visitor entries is pretty reasonable and the magnitude of what they have here is amazing. There is so much that they offer here. I have gone here twice, for my niece's birthday when she was younger, and for my nephew's birthday party just recently. As far as I know the birthday reservations are also pretty reasonable and they also cater food here too. The children had several ways to have fun, bounce houses, the flight simulator, the kids area, and the entire museum. It also made it easy for us adults to walk around and check out the museum. We especially enjoyed seeing the different war planes and helicopters, even those that were attempted and didn't work out. They offer different over night activities for children throughout the year as well which I loved seeing. The other detail I LOVED about this museum is how thoughtfully designed the bathrooms were! The downstairs one was a NASA inspired one with shooting and twinkling stars and the upstairs one seemed like a WWII designed one when they needed people to join. I look forward to becoming a member and heading out here a few times a year to meander around, learn something new, and pick up something neat from the gift store. If you have yet to check out the SAC museum lately, I highly suggest that you do! And treat yourself to the flight simulator as well. You'll love it! read more

This was a great place to visit but it is in the middle of nowhere Nebraska, it seemed. The ticketing staff were helpful and full of knowledge. Unfortunately the f117a stealth fighter was being renovated, however it was still visible in the rear of the hanger. The museum has two hangers, several exhibits, etc. it was easy to spend 1.5 to 2 hours there esp if this is your first time there. The restrooms are space themed and even include a shooting star feature. read more

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Great museum and a hidden Nebraska gem. The exhibits are really well done, and they have a lot of aerospace oddities, not just the main cool planes you'd expect at a place like this. Some of this stuff you can't even find in the Smithsonian. read more

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum - Entrance - Museums Near Me - Ashland, Nebraska

Interesting museum if you're interested in airplanes and/or military history. Located in the middle of nowhere, this museum houses two large hangers filled to the brim with different types of aircraft. Although people are not allowed on these crafts, getting up-close and personal was still fun. There's a lot to see and do. For me, this was a great experience. I enjoy reading about the details and history. I was like a kid in a candy store. read more

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If you have any interest in military aviation, this museum provides volumes to the history of the birth of air superiority for the USA and what became SAC. Price was very reasonable - $16 bucks for a walk at your own pace museum. Free parking too! They had a cafe but we didn't stop in. The static aircraft display is fantastic with a huge selection to gaze upon. B-17, check. B-29, check. SR-71, oh my... B-47, wait.... B-36 you're kidding.... And the list keeps going. 25+ aircraft to get up close to, great art work, a stunning tribute to both Gary Powers and Curtis LeMay, some fun flight sim rides and an overall great environment. I even appreciated the attention to detail in the restrooms. If you're near Omaha, make this a must see! If I had to leave a negative, I'd say it was not having much SAC wearables in their gift shop. But tons more to look at (and buy) for the kids. Oh and I'd go back when that Vulcan (in restorations) is ready. I hope that's a display coming!!!! read more

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Ok, I'm severely biased as an active-duty aviator but this place is outstanding! Plenty of static display aircraft and memorabilia as well as hands-on exhibits for children and adults alike. It was great exploring the STEM kids exhibit with lots of options to engage in sensory experiences as well as challenging scenarios for engineering and systems minded individuals. If you're looking for a quiet, indoor place to explore all things SAC as well as aerospace and space flight options, this is it! read more

This museum could use some TLC. There were issues throughout. Broken floor tiles, the cafe was a mess and the flight simulator screen looks like early 2000's level pixelated screen. Let me just say, the cafe- was completely defunct. The credit card machine was down. They couldn't print tickets and were trying to use a paper system. We tried to order some hotdogs, sandwich and salad. The nacho cheese machine was down. The clerk had to go microwave the bag of nacho cheese on every order. They messed up pretty much our entire order. The displays were good. They were pretty well marked. There was a daily tour but it took a very long time to go through it. Our family loved Air Force museums but this one could use some investments on improvements. read more

The SAC Museum wins hands down for curb appeal. The drive up to the entrance is impressive with a flag-line drived approaching the glass atrium and a handful of massive ICBM's standing to the side. Awesome! The museum is not free which is a bit of a bummer considering that the Air Force Museum in Dayton OH is three times larger and is free. But it's not expensive. Inside, a number of planes that were critical to the mission of the Strategic Air Command and the Air Force including an SR-71 Blackbird in the lobby atrium, FB-111A Aardvark, RB-45C Tornado and even a Mark-36 Thermonuclear Bomb. The desk used by General Curtis LeMay, a pair of nuclear missile launch desks and more to see. I particularly enjoyed the very detailed exhibit on the Doolittle Raid, the Gary Powers U2 flight and the Tuskegee Airmen. There is a lot to see here, many of the planes are more approachable than they are at the AF museum, but they don't have as many walk-throughs here. The theater showing looping movies was very nice, the free wifi was excellent, and the gift shop was very good. [Review 11353 overall, 1130 of 2019.] read more

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We came here on our first stop of our vacation. When you pull up you can see the place is very patriotic. American flags along the driving path along with space capsules and aircraft. When you walk up to it, the building is made of glass on the outside. There are different planes you can see through the glass. The cost for 2 of us was 25 dollars. No discount for anything. We only had an hour. The planes are real nice to look at. I think I would be more excited if I haven't been to numerous other places. We got our penny at the penny machine. Overall, nice little place to visit. I understand the cost. There's an area for children to play. read more

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This place is huge!!!! Always wondered what this place was like. If you enjoy our history, planes or even some science this is a cool place to visit. Nice gift store inside. Great exhibits even on Astronauts and space travel. Looks like the is a few day time camps or work shops. Many options of things to do. I kinda wanted to do the simulator, but not for the price. A beautiful 9/11 tribute artwork and quilted flag. Lots of war history to go with the planes. They even have a Restoration Bay for a couple to be worked on. Definitely worth the stop. read more

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I think it's unfortunate it's way out in the middle of nowhere. It's a great museum. The staff here has done a wonderful job. Modern buildings, lots of planes that are in great shape, museum is kept clean, and large professional looking information boards for almost all aircraft. There are also very well done exhibits related to aviation and the various wars that involved aviation. If you're a military aviation enthusiast you'll like this museum. They've crammed a lot of aviation history into this place. ------ A logistic note for those who try to use public transportation as much as possible: As mentioned, it's in the middle of nowhere. I usually try to take public transportation when I go on trips since I hate renting cars. Lyft n Uber drivers aren't too keen to come out here from Omaha. I befriended a Lyft driver (extra cash) who did the 30+ mile one way trip out and then later came back to pick me up. read more

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The SAC makes for a nice family activity for adults and kiddos alike. Parking is free and abundant, admission is about $12/adult, and free for kids under 3 years old--an incomparable price for 90 minutes of keeping toddlers safely engaged and occupied (until one of them yells "No more airplanes!"). We all really enjoyed how many elements were interactive. You could play with aero-themed Legos, interact with some models, sit inside some planes, and try a few simulators. Having fun while not filling your head with trash is really fun, especially with fam. I found the planes to be very impressive and well maintained. One of them spanned almost across the entire museum! A couple of areas were closed off or out of order, but overall the whole facility was clean and organized. Buying some astronaut ice cream in the gift shop is a rite of aerospace-museum passage. read more

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum - Museums Near Me - Ashland, Nebraska