Museum of Flight

The Museum of Flight in Seattle showcases a vast collection of over 150 historically significant aircraft and spacecraft, including the original Boeing Aircraft factory, known as the Red Barn. Visitors can engage with interactive exhibits, flight simulators, and educational programs, making it a must-visit destination for aviation and space enthusiasts.

Planning your visit

The Museum of Flight in Seattle is among the largest air and space museums in the world, holding over 150 aircraft, and its location is not incidental — it sits on Boeing Field, and includes the Red Barn, the 1909 building where Boeing began. Aircraft on display run from early gliders through a Concorde, the first jet Air Force One, an SR-71 Blackbird, a full-size Space Shuttle trainer that visitors enter, and the Apollo and space exploration galleries.

The aviation pavilion outside holds large airliners including the prototype 747 and 787, walked through rather than viewed from below.

Flight simulators, restoration work visible to the public and extensive education programming make it strong for families, and the scale means a full day is easily filled.

It is south of downtown Seattle, reachable by bus or a short drive, which is the main planning consideration.

Bookable options include entry tickets and private guided tours with tickets, which are worth considering given the collection's size — a guide picks a route through what would otherwise be a very large amount of hangar. Current availability is listed below.