Pacific Aviation Museum

This museum is located in a 42,000 square foot seaplane hangar on Ford Island that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. Across from the hangar is the original control tower that broadcast the first report of the attack. You can still see damaged sections of concrete on the surrounding airfields. The first section of the Pacific Aviation museum opened in 2006 and focuses on World War II in the Pacific. Future exhibits will be built in other hangars covering the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Cold War.

The combat flight simulators are very popular with museum guests. You can dogfight for fifteen minutes with or against your friends in the skies above Guadalcanal in either a Wildcat or Zero aircraft.

The WWII themed Laniakea Café serves breakfast and lunch. This fun restaurant features gourmet burgers and sandwiches, salads, stir fry, mahi mahi, pasta specialties, and more.

The Pacific Aviation Museum also has a large gift shop stocked with WWII model planes, books, and related souvenirs.

The museum is open daily from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (September - May) and 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (June - August). The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

  •  Pacific Aviation museum

    Pacific Aviation Museum - Hangar 37

  • Pearl Harbor attack airport control tower

    Original control tower that broadcast the first report of the attack on
    Pearl Harbor

  • Japanese zero exhibit at Pacific Aviation museum

    Japanese Zero exhibit

  • Japanese zero crash landing in Niihau

    Exhibit showing crash landing of Japanese zero in Niihau

Official Website:   http://pacificaviationmuseum.org

 

Tips:
* Give yourself at least 90 minutes to explore the Pacific Aviation museum. Don't miss:

- The movie about the Pearl Harbor attack

- Japanese Zeros exhibit

- Army Air Corps B-25 Mitchell bomber, SBD Dauntless dive bomber, US Navy Wildcat Fighter, and the actual Stearman N2S-3 in which former President Bush soloed.

- WW2 pilot simulators

* If you are planning to see other attractions in the Pearl Harbor area, you may want to consider purchasing a combination ticket online.

* Note that the following items are prohibited on Ford Island: purses, handbags, fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, luggage and/or other items that offer concealment. Cameras and video camcorders are allowed. Storage of the prohibited items is available for a small fee prior to boarding the shuttle to Ford Island.





Getting there:
To see the Pacific Aviation Museum, you need to first head to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to buy your tickets, then hop the free shuttle from there to Ford Island where the museum is located. From Waikiki, take H-1 West past the airport exit. Take the Arizona Memorial exit 15-A. In the far left lane, make a left turn at the fourth traffic light. Parking is free. You can also catch a shuttle from your hotel area. There are many local Hawaii companies that provide this inexpensive service.


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