Cradle of Aviation Museum is a popular Air and Space museum on Long Island New York. Due to Long Island’s contribution to the history of aviation, it is a suitable place for the Cradle of Aviation Museum. It sits upon part of Mitchel Air Force Base closing in 1961. Roosevelt airfield with other airfield conducting historic flights is nearby in Hempstead Plains.
Museum exhibits trace the evolution of aviation from early attempts to the present. The museum has over 75 aircraft and scale model airplanes representing different eras in aviation. Many of the museum’s aircraft were built by Grumman in their nearby Bethpage NY facility. Galleries introduce distinct stages in the development of aviation.
"A Dream of Wings," is a gallery showing the first attempts to defy gravity using hot air balloons, and kites.
World War I gallery has Charles Lindbergh’s Curtiss Jerry of his early barnstorming days. A sister airplane to Lindbergh’s "Spirit of St. Louis" is also displayed.
World War II gallery has a Grumman TBM "Avenger" and the Grumman F4F "Wildcat".
Jet Age gallery shows Navy's first supersonic jet, a Grumman F-11 Tiger. It has a Grumman G-63 Kitten, built in 1944, a Republic P-84B Thunderjet, rolling out of Farmingdale in 1947. Also displayed are a Grumman F-14 Tomcat, and A-10 Thunderbolt II Republic P-47N Thunderbolt.
"Space Exploration" gallery has an unused Apollo Lunar Module, LM-13. It was built for the Apollo 18 mission, which was cancelled. The lunar module was built nearby in Bethpage NY by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation facility.
The museum complex has a large screen IMAX Theater and Red Planet Café. IMAX is the only domed theater on Long Island, and open daily specializing aviation themes. The Red Planet Café is a Mars-themed restaurant appearing like a space station on the planet Mars.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum entrance is on Charles Lindbergh Boulevard in East Garden City, on Museum Row. The museum is 363 miles east of Rochester NY, a 6 hour drive, and 30 miles east of New York City.
Cradle of Aviation Museum hours are:
Tuesday-Friday, 9:30-3:00 PM;
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays, 9:30-5:00 PM.
Adult admission is $14 with reduced rates for children.Adult admission is $14 with reduced rates for children.
Garden City NY is a village with a population of 21,811. Within the village at Roosevelt Field was the starting point in 1927 for Charles Lindberg’s historic solo transatlantic flight. The field is currently occupied by one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
This comment shows Cradle of Aviation Museum is a great place to visit.
“Went here today - what a great museum! The displays are interactive and exciting, with something for everyone at this remarkably family-friendly museum. “
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