National Museum of Flight, Scotland: Things to Do

Summary

The National Museum of Flight in East Lothian offers an amazing family day out for anyone with a love of air travel and aircraft.

This popular tourist attraction features outdoor displays as well as aircraft hangers full of planes, helicopters and more.

There’s also an on-site café and a gift shop that’s stacked to the rafters with aircraft-themed toys and models.

The highlights

1: The collection of aircraft is varied and you’ll find every form of air transport from hot air balloons to jet fighters at this museum.

2: There are loads of things to see and do in the halls, outside areas and side rooms. The National Museum of Flight will keep families busy for a full afternoon.

3: Both children and adults will enjoy this attraction. Parents will be glad to know that many of the displays are educational.

Visiting tips

1: The museum is in quite a remote location so get your bearings on Google Maps before you head out. If using a sat nav the postcode is EH39 5LF.

2: Become a National Museums of Scotland member to get into this attraction for free.

3: Looking for a historic attraction nearby? Visit the Athelstaneford National Flag Centre or Hailes Castle.

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Overview

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 different types of aircraft from the last hundred-or-so years, from the very first days of flight right up to modern times.

Described as containing one of Europe’s finest collections of aircraft, the museum boasts everything from gyrocopters to fighter jets and you can get up close to all the exhibits on show – and even climb aboard and walk around some of them.

While you can’t prod and poke every aircraft in the museum there are quite a few that you can interact with and the curators have gone to great lengths to include lots of science-themed fun/educational exhibits that are genuinely interesting to play with (adults included).

As you’d expect with a military base there are quite a few workshops and engineering bays spread across the attraction and most of them have been restored to how they would have looked during WWII.

There are also several areas where you can learn the mechanics of military aircraft, their history, and the role they played in defending the nation when the base was in full operation over 70 years ago.

The National Museum of Flight is a great attraction that will appeal to adults and children alike so if you’re looking for a family day out and you’re in East Lothian it’s definitely worth considering.

Discover more places to visit with my Scottish Tourist Attractions Map.

Tourist information

Each exhibition showcases a certain stage in aviation history, with military and civilian aviation being held in the two biggest hangars and the science of flight exhibited in smaller buildings on the old airfield.

The National Museums of Scotland who manage this attraction have to be commended for the amount of detail they’ve put into the information displays and even if you’re a bit of a plane nerd like me I guarantee you’ll walk away having learned quite a few new facts about aviation.

Kids especially will absolutely lap this stuff up so I suppose you could almost say a visit here is just as important for the educational side as it is for the fun they’ll have romping around the old aircraft.

There are fairly big expanses of grass outside the hangars so you can enjoy the East Lothian countryside while you’re walking around.

The grounds are home to a number of exhibits it’s there where you can view some of the biggest aircraft at the museum – including the mighty Avro Vulcan, the massive delta-winged aircraft that became synonymous with the cold war.

You won’t believe how big that thing is until you walk underneath it.

But for me, the highlight has to be the fully restored Concorde which sits inside one of the main hangars. If you’ve ever wanted to look inside one of these incredible aircraft then visiting this museum might be your only chance to do so.

As with all the exhibits at the National Museum of Flight, Concorde has a fascinating collection of storyboards and activities that all ages will find interesting and it’s worth a trip to the hangar to learn a few interesting facts about this important part of Britain’s aviation history.

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 as previously mentioned each exhibition is cleverly designed with an educational twist.

There’s also a café on the site and a gift shop that’s full of enough models and aviation-themed gifts that everyone will find something worth buying.

I’ll just say this – if you’re a fan of model aircraft you’d better make sure you’ve got your wallet with you.

If you’re looking to save some money on the entrance costs I recommend you consider buying a membership of the National Museums of Scotland which allows you free return visits to this attraction and three other major Scottish museums for around £45 annually.

If you have any interest in planes, helicopters, and the history of flight then I think a visit to the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon.

Discover more places to visit in East Lothian with: The Best Places to Visit in East Lothian – Ultimate Visitor Guide.

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Things to do nearby

Hailes Castle. Haddington EH41 4PY. 14-minute drive. 13th-century castle situated on the banks of the River Tyne.

The majority of the castle is roofless but most of the walls are still intact and there are notable features like the brewery, kitchen and great hall to explore. Parking is limited to roadside spaces but entry is free.

Preston Mill and Phantassie Doocot. Preston Road, East Linton EH40 3DS. 11-minute drive. An attractive historic mill and a 16th-century dovecot that was used to house over 500 pigeons.

The mill is open for public viewing but the main attraction for many visitors is the nearby River Tyne which is a haven for otters, kingfishers and herons. There are footpaths that follow the river for several miles.

Athelstaneford National Flag Centre. North Berwick EH39 5BE. 5-minute drive. Athelstaneford is a small parish village in East Lothian that legend says is the place where a Scottish King founded the Saltire national flag after seeing it pictured in a cloud formation.

There is a small museum dedicated to the Saltire behind the church.

Traprain Law. Haddington EH41 4PY. 13-minute drive. A steep hill that is a well-known landmark in the centre of East Lothian. A 1-mile path from a small car park to the summit offers panoramic views of the area. The summit is a popular picnic spot with locals.

Myreton Motor Museum. Aberlady, Longniddry EH32 0PZ. 12-minute drive. A small privately-run yet highly-rated motor museum that celebrates automobilia with a collection of cars, bikes, motorcycles and trucks.

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Frequently asked questions