Imagine life as a WWII pilot at this excellent museum with one of the largest collections of wartime aircraft in the world.
The Palms Springs Air Museum has a vast and varied collection of World War II aircraft and memorabilia. This highly interactive, non-profit museum can be found next to Palm Springs International Airport, and even non-aviation buffs will enjoy the huge variety of classic aircraft. The museum's volunteers are eager and willing to share with you the history of the planes, and through them, remember the men and women who kept them in the skies. There are group tours available, although you need a minimum of 15 people for them to go ahead.
The air-conditioned hangars have no ropes to keep you from interacting with the exhibits, so feel free to peer underneath and touch the planes. If you're lucky enough to visit during the summer months, every Saturday is Open Cockpit Day, when visitors can queue up to sit inside the cockpit at the controls of a vintage aircraft. Also, don't miss the opportunity to walk (or rather, crawl) through the body of one of the few surviving Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses. Every day, one or two of the historic aircraft are flown above the museum, so visitors get the chance to see them in action.
The Palm Springs Air Museum's mission is to educate and commemorate, so as well as all the aircraft, there are rotating collections of cars, aviation-themed paintings and memorabilia on display. Throughout the year, the museum also hosts military events to commemorate the servicemen and women who flew and worked on the aircraft.
Palm Springs Air Museum is situated just north of the International Airport, on Gene Autry Trail. It takes around 10 minutes to drive here from downtown and you can park on site free of charge. The museum is open every day with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas. A charge is made for admission.
