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Gatwick Aviation Museum

Gatwick Aviation Museum

Gatwick Aviation Museum
5
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Museum has a unique collection of aircraft and engines from the Golden Age of British aircraft manufacturing. From the end of WWII until the 1970s, British aircraft designers produced some of the most innovative and advanced aircraft of the day. The Museum also traces and celebrates Gatwick Airport, including the history of the many commercial airlines that operated from here and its development into the second largest international airport in the UK.
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  • Louise V
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden gem
    Visited on a Friday -met by a welcoming team who shared their knowledge and answered all of our questions. Lovely facilities and nice cafe area, I definitely recommend having a guided tour . Exceeded all my expectations.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled on business
    Written 25 November 2023
  • Jozef Michal K
    Surrey, United Kingdom3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Skybound Marvels: Gatwick Aviation Museum
    The Gatwick Aviation Museum is an aviation enthusiast's dream. During my visit in December 2023, the volunteers' knowledge was outstanding, especially on the Shackleton. The museum exceeded expectations, and it's a great spot for plane spotting too. Definitely worth a return trip!
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled on business
    Written 5 December 2023
  • RichardC
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum with dedicated staff
    I went early on a Friday and for a while was the only visitor and had long an fascinating conversations with guys who had flown in at least one of the aeroplanes on display. A great little museum with attentive and knowledgeable volunteer guides. Highly recommended
    Thank you for your review, we are delighted that you had such an enjoyable visit. We hope to see you again.
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 2 February 2024
  • B F C
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely brilliant
    This is one of the best things I have visited in a long time. It is full of really interesting things to look at and our visit was made all the more memorable as we were honoured to be shown round by an amazing man called Tony Herbert, an ex Royal Air Force engineer, who was full of knowledge and really entertaining. This is a gem of a place and I highly recommend it.
    Many thanks for taking the time to leave your review. Lovely to hear that you enjoyed your time here. I shall pass on your comments to Tony. We hope to see you again.
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 February 2024
  • H H
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic Day Out!
    Had a lovely afternoon out. The staff were so friendly and informative and it was great to see planes old and new. Also great views of Gatwick runway and plenty to keep kids entertained. A special shout out to Gerry for the best paper planes and even giving us a lift to the station!
    Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Lovely to hear that there was something for everyone and that you all enjoyed yourselves. I shall pass on your thanks to our volunteer Gerry.
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 February 2024
  • LaurandJay
    Dartford, United Kingdom5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    All things aviation!
    This was a great, interactive trip out for my 9 year old aviation enthusiast! The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable - many of them former pilots themselves. As well as all the exhibits, there is an excellent view of the planes taxiing and taking off from South Terminal. We will definitely be returning when the weather cheers up a bit, so we can visit the purpose built viewing hut and watch it all up even closer.
    Many thanks for posting your review, we are very happy that you enjoyed your visit to us. We look forward to seeing you again soon without the need for wellies for the trip to the viewing area!
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 February 2024
  • Gav Phillips
    Heathfield, United Kingdom2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Very Happy 4th Birthday
    Rather than a Theme park, Zoo or Show this year, our Now 4 year Daughter wanted to see and play with real Aeroplanes. We found the GAM after a quick google search, showed her some photos and she was sold on the idea and it was all she spoke about for a week. We took a chance on the hour trip over from the middle of East Sussex on the Friday morning and our little girl was not disappointed. She had "The Best day Ever" Expecting to spend an hour, two tops in the museum, 4 hours later we were dragging her out before they locked her in for the night. The Friday Volunteer team were brilliantly helpful, attentive and kind, particularly towards our daughter. She loved Playing in all the old aircrafts, flipping switches, pulling levers and pressing buttons. Wearing hats, holding rockets, the engines, the memorabilia, the runway take off view, running through the fields, the tours and even all the simple activities. The modest cafe was a touch for a bit of lunch too. And when this bundle of energy passes out on the journey home you know it was totally worth the trip. A big thumbs up and a 5/5 from us. A true hidden Gem as advertised We will be returning very soon as she now wants to show Grandad. Great work team GAM
    Hello and many thanks for your review. Very touching to hear of how much your daughter enjoyed her 4th birthday with us! So glad that she was not disappointed in any way, especially with the build up she had for the week prior to your visit. We are so glad that we met her expectations. We look forward to see you all again soon.....along with Grandad of course! In case it is of interest to you, we also have membership plans. These range from single, couple family etc. Information on our plans can be found on our website. Many thanks team GAM.
    Written 25 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 March 2024
  • raymond s
    Crawley, United Kingdom13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent aircraft museum
    Great venue for families , the staff (All volunteers ) friendly and helpful without being intrusive . I am surprised to learn that the local authority are not keen on the museum , I would love to know why, particular when you recognize how important aviation to the area. I imagine the museum has been the introduction for many youngster to world of aviation which has led to careers in the industry. The museum would like to build a hanger for some aircraft currently stood out side but need consent from the local authority,perhaps they should visit the site and experience the excellent facility.
    Thank you for your kind words and thoughts. We have come a long way in the last few years and have plans to continue along this path to create an even more well educated and exciting experience for you. We do hope you see you again soon.
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 March 2024
  • rossijam
    Surrey, United Kingdom74 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Museum, lots of interesting things to see and learn about
    Great museum, have wanted to visit for a few years, and finally got a chance to visit in February. Lots of interesting aircraft to see, very friendly volunteers, which have great knowledge about the aircraft in which they are telling visitors about. being able to walk inside the Shackleton was very interesting too, lots of history in that aircraft. Great place to watch the planes take off from LGW as well. Definitely recommend to visit
    Thank you for your lovely review, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit to us. Our volunteers will be very happy to hear that their usual friendly manner and their great knowledge aided in your experience with us. We hope you see you again soon!
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 March 2024
  • David P
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great little museum
    Visited the museum with our Cub Scout pack. We all had a great time! The volunteers and staff were very helpful and gave us a great guided tour, explaining about various aircraft and exhibits with lots of information that was ideally suited to the Cubs age group. Plenty of hands on things to do as well. Only downside was the weather which made the walk to the airport viewing area a bit soggy, but that can't be helped!
    Many thanks for posting your review, we are delighted that you all had a great time! Hopefully the walk to the viewing area will be dryer on your next visit to us.
    Written 10 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 3 April 2024
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles269 reviews
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Michael P
Coventry, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Lovely day out at Gatwick Aviation Museum. Whilst visiting a family member in Horley, myself, my wife and her uncle and his dog, went to visit the Gatwick Aviation Museum, which I had spotted the signage for, after driving past a few times to visit other members of the family, who live at Ifield.
On our August Bank Holiday visit to Horley, we set a date to visit the aviation museum, firstly telephoning ahead, to find out whether the site was “dog” friendly, as my wife’s uncle has an English springer spaniel. A very nice gentlemen answered the telephone, to inform ourselves that yes, dogs were allowed on site.
We arrived at Gatwick Aviation Museum a short while after, and to our surprise, found it a far more organised site than we expected. A reasonably large car park, a very well signed overflow car park, should it be required, and facilities ( again well signed and marked) for blue badge holders ( lesser able bodied drivers).
We entered a well set out reception/ cafe/toilet/shop area, where we paid our admission fees, which are very reasonable, before being shown around the indoor exhibits by a knowledgeable volunteer guide. We progressed onto the main indoor aircraft/ aviation related exhibits, mainly ex military aircraft, however there are some other smaller interesting exhibits such as ejector seats, manual hand-pumping of an undercarriage system, and various versions of aircraft jet engines.
There are numerous ex military aircraft on display from, a Gloster Meteor (could not believe how large this was for a fighter aircraft), Hawker Harrier, De Havilland Vampire, Sea Venom, Hawker Hunter and a English Electric Lightning (Ex Saudi Air Force). Outside at the rear, there is a very tidy picnic area, with numerous picnic bench/table facilities, bearing in mind refreshments are available at the on-site cafe shop area, that considering we are a “captive” audience at the museum, price wise the refreshments ( 3 x cups of tea and chocolate bars) was not too bad for around £10. Similar places we have previously visited, we found prices to be extortionate!
The outside exhibits include a Buccaneer, a Percival Sea Prince, a “live” ex Coastal/ anti submarine warfare Shackleton Bomber, that you can actually enter and be shown around, and be very entertained by a knowledgeable ex RAF Shackleton crew member, who flew on anti submarine missions, and knew about every single thing there was to know about the aircraft, the crew and their individual roles within the 14- 16 hour missions. There is also another Hawker Hunter, in military livery, although not owned by the museum it belongs to a local ATC group, you can also walk around and view from the outside.
Overall a lovely day out, made welcoming by the volunteers who help the museum tick over on a daily basis. Thank You.
Written 27 August 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.
Thank you so much for this very comprehensive and supportive review following your recent visit. Its rewarding for us all to hear that the immense effort and time invested by our small team is paying off and that our visitors are enjoying their experience. We have come a long way in the last couple of years but there's still plenty of ambition to grow our displays and further improve our exhibits. We hope you will be back to see us again. Thank you again for taking the time to give such a wonderful review which is very much appreciated by us all.
Written 1 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Aidan Bason
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Such a good little museum, got some very nice Aircraft, like the Avro Shackleton and their gorgeous Saudi lightning, the staff are really nice, and they answer any questions that you may have, there is a number of engines on display, with information by each one on what it is, what it was used in, etc… there is also the chance to go inside a English Electric Canberra’s cockpit. You can also go inside the Shackleton, where a veteran who once served on a Shackleton gives you a full run down on the crews life, the equipment inside the aircraft and what it was like.
The aircraft are very well preserved and they are constantly maintained,
There is also a really nice area at the back of the green field where big jet enthusiasts can watch and hear as the jets land and take off, with some really good photo and video opportunities.
The museum can sometimes start up their lighting and Shackleton, which is something I recommend attending.
Written 22 July 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.

BeardedWanderer
Crawley, UK85 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
I arranged for a group of 28 to visit the museum. As we were a large group, the museum kindly offered to open on a day when they are usually closed. Volunteers gladly gave up their free time to ensure that we all had the full experience.

On arrival, we were split into four groups of seven for the tour. The tour consisted of a guided walk through several interesting exhibits, ranging from the history of the area, a review of commercial operators that have used Gatwick, and many military aircraft.

The group were particularly interested in the new Virgin Airlines exhibit, with a full size, fully equipped section of the plane, and the Shackleton, used for surveillance during the Cold War. The range of aircraft in the hangar was most impressive.

All the exhibits were well displayed in the recently modernised areas, but the day was made by the enthusiasm and knowledge of the volunteers. All the guides had personal knowledge of their area and gave humorous and informative talks.

There really is something for everyone in this museum, and I fully recommend it for a fascinating visit.
Written 13 April 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.

FarmerParma
London, United Kingdom27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
Spent an enjoyable morning at this gem of a museum. Really appreciated the guide's stories and information while my 14 year old son and I wandered around the cold war jets, engines and interesting history of nearby Gatwick airport (whose departures you can watch from the picnic tables next to a shackleton). We look forward to returning when it's open cockpit day or when the engines are fired up.
Written 24 July 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.

Marc W
Bracknell, UK508 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
I realised during the original Lockdown that despite being an aviation enthusiast, I hadn't ever visited any aircraft museums. One of the first I ended up visiting was Duxford. (What's this got to do with this museum I hear you ask, hang on I'm getting to that!) It's an amazing place to visit. Anyway more recently I visited Gatwick aviation museum and it's like a mini Duxford which is the biggest complement I could give any aviation museum!

From the friendly welcome as soon as I arrived which included showing me to the Virgin Airlines training fuselage where a tour was about to start, the volunteer staff were excellent from start to finish. Despite being a relatively small museum when compared to somewhere like Duxford or Cosford there is a lot to see and a bit of everything from military aviation to civil aviation.

There are several exhibits that you're free to climb into which always adds to a great experience. Other highlights were guided tours of the Airbus training fuselage and the Shackleton. I think the guide for the Shackleton's name was Nick and he spent ages showing me the plane and telling stories of his exploits when he was part of the aircrew of a similar plane. It really was living history and very interesting. This was all included in the low entry fee.

I had learnt of the museums existence from flying over it as I took off from Gatwick and I hadn't been sure what to expect. It was way beyond even my best expectations and I certainly will return again sometime.

Please go and support them, I want them to raise enough money to put their last few planes in a building to keep them preserved for the future.

If you have any aviation interest at all, go and visit, you won't regret it.
Written 23 October 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.
Thank you so much for the review Marc and your wonderful comments about our Museum. We are very lucky indeed to have such a fantastic collection of exhibits and, an equally fantastic volunteer team who are passionate about making every visit a special one. Thanks for spreading the word, we appreciate all the support. Please do come back and see us again.
Written 28 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ian S
Luton, UK290 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Well this is a great little museum with great friendly staff and very knowledgeable volunteers. It may be small but is packed with information about the development of Gatwick Airport. A good collection of aircraft undercover and a few more outside. One of which the (Shackleton) is open for you to tour with aircrew that flew it this is included in the entry price. Can recommend a visit to this museum for both adults and kids alike.
Written 25 April 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.

Tubbytummy
London, UK663 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
This museum is not only for plane enthusiasts but all the family. There is plenty of parking, not sure how to get there by public transport though. The main building houses a lot of planes and some are being worked on. I like the history and the way it is presented in an organised way. You can go in some of the planes too. There is also quirky thing like the radio broadcast of planes at gatwick there and then. Outside some more planes best wear shoes that can get bit wet in on the soggy grass. As walk round you can see that a lot of effort and skill is being used to further develop this museum.
Written 9 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.

Nick V
Barbati, Greece2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
Brilliant collection of post war and cold war British built aeroplanes, built at a time when the UK had a thriving and innovative aeroplane design and construction industry, eg the Harrier jump jet, one of the many exhibits.
Also a fascinationg intro to Gatwick's early years. Our guide was Jeff White, thank you Jeff, for an informative and fun visit. Highly recommended!
Written 18 September 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.

eddiest492
Crawley, UK9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
we took the grand kids to the museum and weren't disappointed, after many years of going past this place I finally decided to do what i had promised myself and go in.
this place is a must for any self respecting classic aircraft buff, we took two young boys and they loved it, not much in the gift shop for them but they found some stuff they could play with in the 40 acre grounds.
we did the the shack tour with nev who was so passionate about his time in the RAF serving in the shack.
kids love sitting in the pilots seat and they both had a go.
i spent way too long talking to (sorry his name has gone) but believe me his knowledge was great and really had passion for these planes sharing many photos with me that were his personal albums, i love these places and this is for me well worth the family ticket price, as a local to Crawley I'm aware of the struggles they've had with the rubbish council over the years, but hopefully with public support they'll be able to secure a future in prime Gatwick real estate.
and when the airport picks up be sure to go to their prime aero spotting site near the runway.
and be sure to check their website for days when the EE lighting is fired up in the field..
Written 16 August 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.

Daryl K
Johannesburg, MI191 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
When we were in England we took our grandchildren to the Gatwick Aviation Museum. this is a small museum with some interesting exhibits as well as a tour of some 2nd world war bombers. We were taken on board the aircraft into very small cramped conditions which illustrated how difficult life must have been for these pilots and air crew. It is an interesting little museum but appears outdated at times. Worth a visit.
Written 22 May 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.

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GATWICK AVIATION MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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