National Naval Aviation Museum

When my family travels, it’s important to me to incorporate learning and educational outings during our trips. A big part of unschooling is experiencing hands on learning and I make sure we do that while enjoying our vacation. While in Pensacola we visited the National Naval Aviation Museum.

The National Naval Aviation Museum is located on the Naval Air Station. If you plan to visit, make sure everyone in your party has an ID. You will need it to enter the naval base as well as when entering the museum. The National Naval Aviation Museum is FREE and open to the public daily from 9:00-5:00pm, but closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. A donation is suggested as a way to show our gratitude to those who have contributed to naval aviation history.

The museum is home to more than 150 restored aircraft, is 350,000 square feet, and sits on 37 acres!

There are exhibits to see in two buildings including an IMAX Theater and several flight simulators.

If you’re lucky to visit the museum on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you’ll have the opportunity to see the Blue Angels flight practice and snag an autograph. They practice at 11am from March through November and the show lasts about an hour and a half. We were actually there on a Monday, so we didn’t get to see the show. I’m sure it would have been awesome. 

There is a cute cafe and flight deck gift shop located in the museum, so you can spend an entire day there. My children enjoyed hopping upon several of the aircraft, and pretending they were flying a jet. They even had the opportunity to chat with veterans to learn first hand about naval aviation history. 

Before you leave the base, you have the opportunity to also visit Fort Barrancas which overlooks the Pensacola Bay. Fort Barrancas was built between 1839-1844 and used to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard during the Civil War. It’s apart of the National Parks Service and tours are available daily. 

To learn more about the National Naval Aviation Museum visit their website here! 

Has your family ever been to Pensacola, FL? Do you incorporate education during your travels? 

Ashley