National Naval Aviation Museum
The National Naval Aviation Museum, formerly known as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Naval Aviation Museum, is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.
Former name
National Museum of Naval Aviation and Naval Aviation Museum
1962
Rear Admiral Magruder H. Tuttle
Captain Sterling Gilliam, Jr.
Founded in 1962 and moved to its current location in 1974, the museum has now been reopened to the public starting May 2023, after a temporary close in 2019.[1]
History[edit]
The museum was established 14 December 1962 in a cramped 8,500-square-foot building erected during World War II. It was dedicated in June 1963.
Construction of the current facility began in November 1972.[2] The Phase I portion opened in November 1974 and was dedicated on 13 April 1975 . The Phase II portion was completed in 1980, and the Phase III portion in 1990.[18] In the meantime, it had been renamed the National Museum of Naval Aviation in May 1989.[19]
The museum and some of its aircraft on display outside were damaged by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.[20]
In 2019, after a gunman killed three people and injured eight more at the air station, the museum and other National Park attractions were closed to the public.[21]
In 2020, the museum was closed for seven months during the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]
In 2021, museum officials were reported to be planning to reopen the museum to the public.[22]
In 2022, discussions began on converting portions of existing roads to create a dedicated access corridor to the museum.[23]
On 3 May 2023, the museum announced that it would once again be open to the general public after three and a half years on 17 May 2023. Visitors must provide a valid REAL ID or passport for access.[24]