Santa Monica’s Museum of Flying is Back

“There will be a rotating display of aircraft,” said Museum of Flying Managing Director Daniel Ryan. “The only ones that will be permanently stored at the museum are the ones that are hanging right now.” One of those airplanes, displayed right above the entrance door to the museum, is the BD-5 micro jet from the James Bond movie “Octopussy.”

And in keeping with the location near Hollywood, there are other celebrity airplanes such as the Wright Flyer and Lockheed Vega replicas that were featured in the movie "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian." Plans are for these replicas to stay permanently as well.

The 30-seat theater will run some feature films, but mostly documentaries such as first test flights and record setting flights. In addition, there are several educational displays about the incredible history of the Santa Monica Airport and Douglas Aircraft Company, which was based at the airport until 1975.

In addition to the museum’s historical displays, there is plenty of fun for kids as well, with several interactive and educational displays to play with, such as the K-3 simulator. “We call it K-3 because it’s really geared toward children from kindergarten through third grade,” said Ryan. “It’s a miniature airplane that’s done up like a USAF Thunderbird aircraft.” After learning about pitch, yaw and roll, the kids get to try their hands at flying the simulator.

Kids and adults alike can climb into the cockpit of a Convair 240, a Lockheed T-33 cockpit jet trainer and a Boeing 727 nose that jets out of the building and provides a view of Santa Monica Airport's runway.

And although the museum is across the street from the airport, there is access for flyable airplanes to taxi onto the airport property. Right now there is a Ryan PT-22, a Staggerwing, a Stearman and a P-51 Mustang on display, all in flyable condition.

“It’s important for people to know that there may be certain aircraft that won’t be here when they arrive and it gives people a reason to come back saying ‘I wonder what they’ll have next time?’” said Ryan, who was very pleased with the attendance of more than 1,000 people during the opening weekend. Currently, the hours of operation are Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.