Find out more about the wonder of flight at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, a fun-filled and family-friendly attraction in Cape May. The museum occupies a World War II aircraft hangar and is filled with interactive exhibits and stunning plane models from aviation history.
From outside, admire Hangar #1, the site of the museum, which was built in 1943 as a training facility for dive bombers. During the following two years it saw thousands of take-offs every month before it was decommissioned after the war in 1946. The old base was redeveloped in 1997 into a museum to honor the airmen who served here.
Marvel at the 26 plane and helicopter models on display in the museum. Sleek fighter planes such as the F-14 Tomcat, famous from films such as Top Gun, stand proudly on the runway next to traditional biplanes from an earlier era of aviation. Sit in the cockpit of select models to get a sense of being a pilot.
The museum has a wide selection of helicopter models. Get close to the AH-1 Cobra, used in the Vietnam War, and two-seat gyrocopter prototypes. The exhibits also reveal what is under the hood of its various aircraft, with several engines on display.
Learn interactively across the museum’s numerous hands-on exhibits. Try operating a flight simulator or climb an authentic air traffic control tower. Bring children to the Science of Flight exhibit, which explains how planes take off and stay airborne.
Explore the special exhibit rooms that focus on different topics. A room decked out in the style of the 1940s recreates life during the war. Learn about the history of the Coast Guard and its role in 9/11 rescue missions in a section dedicated to their service.
The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located on the site of Cape May Airport and is open daily from spring to fall and on weekdays during winter. Drive here in 15 minutes from the town of Cape May and use the free on-site parking.
