Aviation Museum Offers Family Fun Away From the Beach

As an outing for a rainy day, or just for a break from sun and sand, Pensacola’s National Naval Aviation Museum offers an exciting and educational experience for the whole family. One of the most-visited museums in Florida, the kid-friendly facility offers free admission, free parking, and free guided tours of everything from vintage aircraft (more than 150 of them) to a panoramic view of life aboard a World War II aircraft carrier. Interactive exhibits include flight simulators, motion simulators, and the authentically reproduced cockpits of dozens of famous aircraft. Themed exhibits explore such topics as Naval Aviation in World War I, the POW Experience in Vietnam, Naval Aviation in Space, and Women in Naval Aviation. The museum houses more than 4,000 artifacts, including vintage uniforms, photographs, historic documents, and military equipment. The museum also houses an IMAX Giant Screen Theater and the new Blue Angels 4D Theater, both of which show exciting, interactive movies.   There’s a museum store selling clothing, toys, games, artwork, jewelry, and other gift items, and a cafe that’s open daily and serves soups, salads, deli sandwiches, and desserts. For more information, visit www.navalaviationmuseum.org. And for places to stay in the area, visit www.beachguide.com/PensacolaBeach-vacation-rentals and www.beachguide.com/PerdidoKey.

Published on Tuesday, December 10, 2013