New York has enough history to keep any museum buff busy for a long time. If you have a specific interest, that makes it easier to narrow down your choices. For those who are interested in the history of aeronautics, New York has a variety of airplane and flight museums to awe, educate and inspire the resident or tourist.
Built around the famous Intrepid aircraft carrier, this is a comprehensive museum of the science and industry behind both flight and US military history, specifically World War II. The Intrepid has a distinguished history and is also a famous landmark that sets the theme for what is also a military museum. For the flight enthusiast, the museum includes an A-6 cockpit simulator, a virtual flight zone, and a tour of the Concorde.
If you are interested in the beginnings of flight, starting with ballooning and kites, check out this little museum on Long Island. Exhibits are focused on the history of flight, starting with ballooning in the 18th century and going all the way up to the age of jets and spacecraft. The museum also has an IMAX theatre and hosts ongoing restoration projects.
Interested in restoration and preservation? Do you like to see historic aircraft in action as well as admire them on the ground? This is the museum for you. Featuring aircraft from the World War II era, the HAG museum in Geneseo also hosts ongoing aircraft restoration projects and an airshow in July. Currently being restored is a B-23 Dragon bomber that was salvaged from Midland, Texas.
Similar to the HAG museum, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome also features exhibits with restored aircraft, but takes it up a notch by going back to the beginning of the 20th century. Activities at the Aerodrome revolve around seasonal airshows that run from mid-June to mid-October. The Aerodrome boasts that its collection is one of the world's largest and most distinguished, and it showcases its collection year-round. You can also bring your own plane to this unique museum.
