The National Museum of Flight

About The National Museum of Flight

What’s this attraction all about?

The National Museum of Flight in East Lothian is the perfect day out for family members of all ages. Sited on an old World War II airfield, the museum comprises a number of aircraft hangars filled to the brim with pristine examples of many types of aircraft, from the very first days of flight right up to modern times. Described as containing Europe’s best collections of aircraft, the museum boats everything from gyrocopters to fighter jets, and you can get up close to all the models on show.

What can you do there?

Each exhibition showcases a certain stage in aviation history, with military and civilian aviation being held in the two biggest hangars. There are also expansive green spaces outside so you can enjoy the East Lothian countryside surrounding the airfield, and whilst walking around you can view several aircraft that are on outside display, including the mighty Avro Vulcan, the massive delta-winged aircraft which became synonymous with the cold war.

The highlight is probably the incredible Concorde which sits inside one of the main hangars, and if you’ve ever wanted to look inside one of these magnificent machines, visiting the museum is your chance to do so. As with all the exhibits at the museum, Concorde has a fascinating collection of storyboards and activities that all ages will find interesting, and it’s worth a trip to the hangar just to experience the inside of the aircraft.

As well as Concorde, you can view a huge Boeing 707, a Hawker Sea Harrier (better known as the Jump Jet), an F4 Phantom and many others, and each exhibition has been cleverly designed to be both fun and educational, so a visit with the kids is definitely recommended. There’s also a cafe on the site and a gift shop to keep both adults and kids happy. If you’ve got any interest in the history of flight then the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian is pretty much nirvana!