Description
The Jet Age Museum is an independent aviation museum located at Gloucestershire Airport. It is one of the best things to do with kids in Gloucester, offering a hands-on look at the region’s rich history of flight, from early biplanes to the dawn of the jet age. Managed entirely by dedicated volunteers, the museum features a wide collection of real aircraft, engines, and interactive cockpits that little pilots can actually climb into.
Admission is completely free, though the museum relies on visitor donations to keep its wings level and its engines running. There are no hidden fees for exhibits, and even parking is free for visitors on-site.
If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that is both educational and exciting, this aviation hub is a top-flight choice. Children can explore massive hangers filled with history, sit in the pilot's seat of a Vulcan bomber, and watch real planes take off from the active airport right outside the windows.
Features
- Free
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
What makes the Jet Age Museum unique? This museum stands out by letting history be a hands-on experience rather than something behind a velvet rope.
- Interactive Learning: Many exhibits are designed for interaction, allowing children to touch controls and sit in real cockpits.
- Gloucestershire’s Heritage: The collection focuses specifically on the local companies, like the Gloster Aircraft Company, that pioneered early jet flight.
- Aviation Experts: Because the museum is run by volunteers, you often meet guides who actually worked in the aviation industry and have real-life stories to share.
Top Highlights for Families
- Open Cockpit Experience: The biggest draw for kids is the chance to sit in a real aircraft cockpit. The museum typically has six open cockpits available, ranging from the small "Biggles" plane for younger children to the legendary Vulcan bomber cockpit.
- The Display Hall: This massive, unheated hangar is where the "giants" live. You can walk right up to full-sized aircraft like the Gloster Meteor (the Allies' first operational jet fighter) and the massive Hawker-Siddeley Trident airliner section.
- Watching Real Take-offs: The museum is located right next to the Gloucestershire Airport runway. After exploring the exhibits, families can head outside to the picnic area to watch modern aeroplanes and helicopters take off and land.
4.31 miles
