Yorkshire Air Museum

Yorkshire Air Museum

Yorkshire Air Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial is located on the outskirts of the City of York within easy reach of the City centre. The Museum welcomes family visitors, with lots of things to keep everyone in the family entertained. We are also pet friendly, so you won't need to leave your four legged part of the family home alone. Authentically based on an original World War II Bomber Command Station, this unique history museum is filled with a great combination of original buildings to explore, including the restored Control Tower and more than forty aircraft exhibits, from early aviation biplanes to our unique Halifax Bomber "Friday The 13th" all the way to modern Cold War military jets such as the Victor, Nimrod and Tornado jet fighters. Our regular Thunder Days are always popular as a great family day out and our NAAFI cafe has a range of snacks, drinks and meals for everyone. Our guides are on hand to help you explore the museum. They are all volunteers and love to read your reviews!
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  • Geodd2
    Penrith, United Kingdom1,029 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    First visit, will highly recommend it
    Went with a friend on a week day so it was quiet. Exceptional exhibits with volunteers eager to give their personal accounts of the machines and to explain the workings and service of the aircraft. A snack in the canteen was well served and presented. We'll done, I will definitely recommend a visit to my friends.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 5 October 2023
  • Jurek G
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Halifax Tour and much more...Great September adventure in RAF base.
    We spent five hours in the museum. Very interesting exhibitions, you can feel the atmosphere of the base from the 40's. A special highlight was the 2 hour Halifax Tour. You can admire the aircraft to your heart's content, and get a lot of information from a guide who gives you his full attention (hello Derek...). By the way good food in the cantina well and Polish flag among others at the gate.... I recommend to visit this museum to everyone, not only enthusiasts of historic aviation.... Michal from Poland
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 7 October 2023
  • Rob T
    Windsor, United Kingdom143 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Local air museum with an interesting site history
    This museum is interesting as it focusses more on modern aircraft, though there are things that are more historical. Quite a lot is outside which does mean that the aircraft do not look their best. It is good that (again unlike other museums) you are able to enter some of the exhibits. There was also a special exhibition on which I looked into but did not stay for all of due to the subject matter.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 8 October 2023
  • ShoneyB
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly recommended!
    This is a real treasure, we visited with our children and all really enjoyed it. There is a great range of aircraft and so much information displayed. The cafe had lots of options and wasn't too expensive. Best of all, it is run by people who are really passionate about what they do so we had very informative conversations with the staff who were more than happy to answer the kids' questions. Thank you for a wonderful day out!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 October 2023
  • Danny K
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant aircraft, amazing stories and a very special tour!
    If you're into planes, you need to go here. It's up there with Duxford, IWM and the BBMF for me! What an incredible museum - an amazing collection with amazing guides. Steve took us inside the Halifax, it was such an interesting experience. He told us stories of real airmen, the tales of the aircraft and the crews who flew in them. Would absolutely recommend it, it was such a special thing to do! Great café with friendly staff, plenty to do for all the family, and convenient in the car from York. Can't recommend enough.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 14 October 2023
  • James
    Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Bringing history to life..... a wonderful experience, Thankyou!
    My visit to the Yorkshire Air Museum was a thrilling journey through aviation history. The Handley Page Halifax guided tour was the highlight, providing unique insights into the aircraft's development and role during WWII. The knowledgeable guide shared captivating stories about its crew and missions and personal insights which he had taken time to research regarding my late fathers missions on the aircraft. The museum's extensive collection of vintage aircraft, artefacts and interactive exhibits was impressive, offering a look at aviation heritage from around the world. The beautifully restored aircraft and the surroundings of the former RAF Elvington made for a memorable experience. It's a must-visit for aviation enthusiasts and history buffs, showcasing Yorkshire's contribution to aviation.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Daisy429
    Jedburgh, United Kingdom62 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit - very interesting.
    Located at Elvington, we visited back in April and vowed to return as it was so interesting. There has been so much updating and improving the visitor experience since April we were bowled away. They have opened up the tower for viewing. There is a new brilliant outdoor play area for the children. The entrance has been enhanced and now includes the museum shop. There have been quite a few new outside exhibits added too. The staff and volunteers are all very friendly and helpful.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Chris_92
    England, United Kingdom46 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting Museum and Excellent Exhibitions
    Me and my wife visited here in October. My father is an avid World War enthusiast and recommended we visit. The price for entry was relatively standard at £14 per adult. Ample parking and a nice little gift shop/entrance section. There were many buildings to go into around the airfield. All of which had great exhibitions and a lot of information to read. The jets/bombers/tanks and other vehicles on site were maintained to a high standard and it really felt like you were on an authentic base. There were several tour guides available to ask questions in the main hanger and it featured some stunning planes on display. The cafe on site was more than ample for light refreshments and the staff were polite and friendly. On the whole we were there for about 2 hours and I’d definitely recommend a visit if you’re in the York area.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 October 2023
  • Weymouth1953
    Weymouth, United Kingdom319 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Half term visit with Grandchildren
    Its half term and the weather isn't great. After some discussion we chose the Museum for a 6 year old and a 2 year old to visit. We met a lovely lady on reception, who also did the teas and coffees and looked after the gift shop. The museum was a great choice as there was so much for them to see and do, the training module was a real hit with both of them and the fact that you could sit in some of the models was also well received. We went round several times as there was different thingf for each of our grandchildren to see. We would defintely go back.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 November 2023
  • Chessypee
    Tibshelf, United Kingdom201 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Local History
    Not a huge museum. But it was a great walk around. It was brilliant to learn the local history and the history of that once working airfield. Probably took us about 2hours to walk round. Had a pit stop at the cafe and had a brew. Plenty of seating and the staff were lovely.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 November 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,000 reviews
Excellent
1,394
Very good
484
Average
88
Poor
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Terrible
12

Iain
Chesterfield, UK9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
A group of us visited today. The presentations in the Huts were very interesting. Our guide was very knowledgeable and ensured we saw the Museums main exhibits. A well restored collection of planes and vehicles. The NAAFI canteen served a good choice of food and reasonably priced. Value for money
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nikki C
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
Great afternoon spent at Yorkshire Air Museum. Well worth the ticket price for all the exhibitions including some lesser known parts of history such as the French Resistance and womens role in the airforce. Special thanks to Harry at the Cayley exhibition, his recount of the tale was fascinating!
Written 17 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

504201BigAl
Huby, UK9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
Yet another place my wife has raved about and yes, well worth a visit. ( Your ticket price entitles you to go back again.
You will need a good amount of time to wander round as there is so much to see. As a war time air field there is a lot of space to explore from the control tower to the static displays and indoor exhibits.
There is a good restaurant resembling a NAFFI with modern preparation for your reasonably priced meal.
Well worth the time invested looking round.
Written 12 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roger L
Maidstone, UK86 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022
We were in York for an extended weekend away and decided to pay the Museum a visit as it is only a 20 minute drive from York.

It is a large site with plenty of exhibits covering different eras (predominantly in hangars but some outside).

There are a number of guides, all of whom as you'd expect were very knowledgeable. Guided tours are available but we chose to explore on our own.

In my opinion, the Museum caters for all ages as much as possible but naturally for the folks that have a keener interest in aviation, there is a lot to gain from the visit.

I'd recommend that you allow 2-3 hours for your visit; car parking is free and onsite.
Written 24 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

maurice c
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I visited the museum along with a number of others. The whole visit was an experience not to be missed. The content of the museum is amazing and makes you realise how so many people served selflessly for our benefit. Our museum guide was Chris Collard who impressed with his knowledge, professionalism and friendly manner. Once again this is a trip not to be missed.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachael
Northamptonshire, UK176 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Visited the York Air Museum with my family and furry companion and we're greeted by a lovely gentlemen at the tickets office who prepared us with maps and a cold war leaflet and background on the museum and information regarding the cafe etc. Entry admission into the museum was £14 but the ticket we were informed was an admission up to 12 months.

We had a beautiful sunny day and had a brilliant time looking at all the aircraft and vehicles and especially viewing the Halifax in all its glory!! It was the first time that me and my family had the chance to see the Halifax as a whole such as the one at the museum as in our surrounding areas we had only see parts of the plane so this was a real treat to see.
Whilst admiring the Halifax aircraft we were greeted by what I believe to be a volunteer named Chris who worked in the RAF himself and he explained to me and my family all about the Halifax and more into it's history and time at the museum. Chris was very knowledgeable and friendly and showed us the rear turret of the Halifax in more detail which made our day.

Further into the hanger we were greeted by Derek Mook which I believe was another worker or volunteer of the museum who explained about the memorial brick work inside thhe hanger and regarding the Wright Brothers and flight history and more. He ventured out with us and gave us a tour around the Buccaneer plane outside with the flying mermaid on the side which took us by surprise as it also displayed the name "Kathryn" which is my sisters name so it felt so much more too us to see this detail and Derek explained further into the artwork and symbols displayed which was truly spectacular another knowledgeable person we had met on our journey through the museum.
Very clean and tidy museum and all the aircraft, vehicles, buildings and memorial gardens were well kept and cared for.
Reasonably priced hot drinks in the cafe and dogs were allowed to enter and sit in the seating area outside which we thought was fantastic to have a cafe so accommodating.
All in all our experience here today was truly amazing and one we will not forget.
For what the museum entails I would definately safe that it's worth the entry admission price and I would highly recommend a visit!!
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sol612
Berwick upon Tweed, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
Great selection of military aircraft from the early 1900s to more modern fast jets. Staff were very helpful in the car park, kiosk and around the museum. Many different types of aircraft from Cold War jets to WW2 bombers and fighters not to mention the numerous ground vehicles and other artefacts. There was plenty seating for a picnic which was recommended as the cafe wasn’t open (however there was a drinks/snack bar). In the large hangar there is a Second World War Halifax bomber which takes your breath away due to its vast size. The YAM is well laid out and social distancing is maintained easily. It is best to visit on a nice day as many of the aircraft are outside and there is not many places to sit down inside. A couple of display buildings are not open which is understandable at the present time. Overall well worth a visit and the ticket lasts one year which is good.
Written 1 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff Love
Wallsend, UK323 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
While on holiday in Yorkshire my Son in Law wanted to visit the Air Museum and I must say I was not sure I wanted to go but so pleased I did. I absolutely loved it despite the rain. There was 6 in our party the youngest was 8 the oldest 66 and everyone enjoyed our 2 hour visit.....I would like to add that the people who work at the Museum were brilliant
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Justin
7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
It had been fifteen years since my last visit to the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington and I immediately noticed many changes.

The aircraft exhibits outside are now spaced perfectly for the photographers amongst us, those inside being protected from the elements are less well spaced out but even so its great to see that they are being protected from the weather!

A great bunch of volunteers assisting with any questions that you may have and interesting talking to one in particular Tony Kisby who has a wealth of knowledge about the exhibits.

A good cross section of exhibits ranging from WW 1 to the present, most recently retired (2019) was the Tornado GR.4.

Next year along with a few friends of mine we intend to visit/re-visit the museum and spend a little longer than I personally had there.

For those that use Public Transport, the bus stops at the entrance to the Museum but it is a very infrequent service so be aware of the return time(s).

For those of you driving there is an ample car park on site, refreshments are available from the Cafe but don't be like me and miss the closing time of 15:00L/3 pm local time :-)

A very interesting and informative few hours spent there and thank you to all that volunteer / administer the running of this museum
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tony D
Harrogate, UK182 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
I have been to the yorkshire Air Museum 3 times over the summer and autumn of 2021, and it has been an exceptional experience each time. The first trip was in July as part of a gathering of a car owners club I belong to, the 90 minutes or so we had on site was not enough, just enough to ick up an excellent presentation abou the key exhibit Halifax 'Friday the thirteenth' the guides here really bring the exhibits to life. i went back in Octpber with my brother in law who is a bit of a milotar expert, and we were there from 10 until 3pm, and it still wasn't enough. So this week I went back with a friend. This time two highlights centre around the Halifax (again). we had a personal tour from one of the guides, who tok us inside the plane...exceptional, then we wondered to the back of the plane where another guide was presenting about the rear gunners' lot to some young people who I would guess were about 12...he had their full attention, and involved them in a demonstration of how difficult it was to get out. This chap must have been 60 years their senior, but had them fully engaged. Again exceptional. Can't wait to go back, their is so much more to look at, and read in detail.
Written 10 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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