| Pima Air & Space Museum |
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PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM -
The Pima Air & Space Museum (PASM)
features over 200 aircraft on display and has five
large
hangars totaling 100,000 square feet of exhibit
space. An original WWII barracks contains an
extensive
model collection, arranged chronologically, which
shows virtually all U. S. military aircraft from
pre-World
War I to the present.
The museum enjoys an international reputation as one of the best anywhere. For aviation enthusiasts of all ages, PASM brings history to life.
Pima Air Museum had the humblest of beginnings. The museum was conceived in 1966 and a year later the Tucson Air Museum Foundation was incorporated as an educational on-profit organization responsible for the operation of the museum. Ten years later, on May 8, 1976, the museum opened to the public as an official Bicentennial event. The tremendous effort involved in Opening the museum was put forth solely by volunteers. Picture if you will, 75 aircraft in a bare desert setting with the only structure on the ground being a small tin shack used to sell tickets.
Few tickets were sold during the first few months of operation but, today, about 165,000 visitors a year tour the museum.
The museum receives no government funds and is supported solely by gate admissions, gift shop sales, memberships and donations. However, the museum admits all school groups grade 12 and below, at no charge. Educational packets and docent tours for the school groups are provided to make the students' visit a rewarding one. Last year, over 6000 school age children visited the museum. PASM is continually enhancing its educational programs.
As you enter Hangar #1 after leaving the ticket counter, you move toward an exact replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, the aircraft with which the Wright Brothers made history. Early aircraft such as the Waco RNF, Fleet Model 2 and the Focke-Wulf Fw-44J Stieglitz are also located in Hangar #1. Exhibits such as "Women in Aviation," "Blacks in Aviation" and a "hands-on" area are popular with those of all ages and are just a few of the exhibits located in this hangar. Out the north door of this building can be seen General Eisenhower's "Columbine" and the DC-6 used by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. The DC-6 is open for guided tours.
About 100 feet north of the DC-6 is the Space Gallery and Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame building. In 1991, the Foundation membership voted to change the museum's name to the Pima Air & Space Museum. The Space Gallery features a full-scale mock-up of the X-15, the rocket powered aircraft that broke the envelope of space.
In 1985, then Governor Bruce Babbitt, Pima County and the City of Tucson each issued a proclamation naming the museum as the location of the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame. To date, a total of 26 individuals have been inducted. Among the 26 are former Senator Barry Goldwater and astronaut Frank Borman.
Leaving the Space Gallery and walking southwest past the SR-71 Blackbird, the world's fastest jet aircraft, you arrive at Hangar #3. This hangar houses the B-24 Liberator bomber, one of about 12 known to exist, the B-25, A-26, TG-6 and other World War II-era aircraft. A new display, "World War II Combat Gliders" was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 1994. Immediately south of this building is Hangar #4 which houses the B-29 and C-46 aircraft, among others. A formal dedication was held in October during a reunion of the 330th Bomb Group to which this B-29 was assigned during World War II.
The 390th Memorial Museum is located in the center of the grounds and houses the B-17. Its exhibits detail the unit's World War II operations in the European Theater while assigned to the 8th Air Force. It is a museum within a museum
With about 65 acres of display area, comfortable shoes are a must. A walk through the museum takes about three hours but one could easily spend all day. A tram operates daily weather permitting. Cost is $2 and the tram ticket is valid for the entire day.
The Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Road and is open every day (except Christmas and Thanksgiving Day) from 9 AM to $ PM with the last admittance at 4 PM. Admission charges are: Adults $6.00, Seniors/Military $5.00, Juniors 10-17 $3.00 and children 9 and under are free
Reviews / Comments by our visitors
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| bigdougdog eatontown, New Jersey | I have to rate this museum as world class due to the enormouse collection. Several different Russian A/C plus at least 3 B-52'a.... really 3 different and significant B-52's and they have a belluga pulus much much more. Amazing place. Check it out! 09/22/2011 @ 19:42 [ref: 24747] |
| Eric , Washington | Great museum with a nice large collection. My wife and I visited during August. We strongly recommend the cooler months if you are not used to the heat. The gift store is a little small, but you can buy small aircraft parts there. 09/17/2010 @ 15:05 [ref: 10831] |
| Ken Patchogue, New York | I visited this museum and found that the selection of aircraft is fantastic. The tour to the reclamation facility at Davis Monthan is fantastic. In many ways, the aircraft are much easier to photograph than the aircraft on display at the museum at Wright Patterson. 11/10/2009 @ 17:05 [ref: 9158] |
| William (Bill) Bruns Green Valley, Arizona | I've been to the museum many, many times over the past ten years since we bought our winter house in Green Valley/Sahuarita area. However, I can't help but wonder what happened to the B-36? I have over the past few years very patiently waiting the completion of the B-36 you have on site. I don't see it listed on your inventory list and can't help ask "Why?" I am in great hopes of seeing this great aircraft completed and on display. I know it will never fly again but, I can dream. Great museum and great aircraft, always a great place to take friends and family, Bill Bruns 10/20/2009 @ 20:40 [ref: 9135] |
| William (Bill) Bruns Green Valley, Arizona | I've been to the museum many, many times over the past ten years since we bought our winter house in Green Valley/Sahuarita area. However, I can't help but wonder what happened to the B-36? I have over the past few years very patiently waiting the completion of the B-36 you have on site. I don't see it listed on your inventory list and can't help ask "Why?" I am in great hopes of seeing this great aircraft completed and on display. I know it will never fly again but, I can dream. Great museum and great aircraft, always a great place to take friends and family, Bill Bruns 10/20/2009 @ 20:39 [ref: 9134] |
| Thomas P. McManus , Pennsylvania | An absolutely outstanding A/C museum, far superior than most, and that includes the USAF museum. One critical point would have to be the lack of WW-II A/C, No P-51, P-47 etc, but that aside, don't miss this place. A word of caution though, schedule you visit between September thru April, most A/C are displayed outdoors and temps exceed 100 degrees during the summer months. 10/12/2009 @ 09:07 [ref: 9127] |
| Anonymous , | This site unfortunately has not updated the list of aircraft at Pima recently, but there are many more new additions such as a Mig-29, Bristol Blenheim, Hawker Hunter, and a Ki-43 Oscar that have been added to the collection since then. 10/10/2008 @ 16:15 [ref: 8466] |
External pages about this museum
| http://www.pimaair.org/ |
Last updated: 02/14/00.
Send corrections/additions by e-mail to museum-info@brooklyn.cuny.edu