EAA Aviation Museum — Attraction in Oshkosh

2020 - I've been coming here for my whole life. It's amazing history but it's such a shame that they don't maintain or fix anything. The activities for kids worked great when I was a kid... It's still the same stuff, 30 years later now, and everything is dirty and broken. For such a passionate community, they really disappoint here.

*2022 Update - As I mentioned, I've been coming here since I was a kid, my family brings my nephew here now. I'm deeply disappointed because I thought they may start to take pride and fix things. My nephew was so excited to get here and check out the kids venture area. Literally about 30-40% of things are even functioning at all through there and the rest of the museum. My brother emailed in a formal complaint a few years ago as well and received an email back stating that they will pass the information along and get things looked into. What have they done to remedy anything? The majority of things have a note taped to them now saying sorry, out of order... This is such a huge disappointment and maybe the workers are just volunteers anyway so they might not have any say, but it's such a disappointment. Sure, come through and see some history, but half of the videos don't work at all and your kids will be let down.

*2023 Update - This is years later. Still, the same things are broken, plus more. They finally put signs up apologizing for the inconvenience and acknowledging that it's broken... But seriously, what's the point in this when almost nothing gets updated and nothing ever gets fixed. People come from all over for EAA Airventure and the one week this is happening, signs get put up but nothing ever is truly being worked on. Barely any updates and everything being broken is a norm for an expectation for coming here at this point. My brother emailed over 5 years ago expressing frustration on all of this and still no progress. Shouldn't we be trying to get people excited about aviation and looking forward to coming here and experiencing this?

*2024 Update - I don't even get excited to come here anymore. Still, none of my previous mentions have been fixed and still more things are broken down, or just straight up missing. The whole museum seems empty compared to what used to be here. As you walk through, it's obvious that things are missing from all areas. They've put some dates and who reported issues on paper slips but they're from months ago with no timeline, plan or who's responsible for fixing it, as you can see that one of the pictures that I uploaded showed a report from over 6 months ago. I almost thought I was uploading duplicate photos until I realized that they're of the same broken things, just years apart! There's no real pride here anymore compared to what this once was years ago. My nephew said that he wanted to go to the only fun part around, the kids area, just to run in and stop and hang his head in disappointment. Joy and excitement are literally being drained and he doesn't look forward to coming here anymore either.

*2025 Update I didn't even feel like coming here after some of our friends say it's the same old thing with more missing. I decided that I wanted to check for myself just to continue updating anyone who cares, obviously I'm talking about the visitors because clearly whoever is managing this place, is not actually doing that nor do they care. More things are broken, more things are missing. They always do banquets during this week and block off half of the museum too. I've attached more photos here of everything broken or not working. Some things have just been removed and you can tell by the stains on the ground that something is...

The EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is more than just a museum; it's a living, breathing testament to the magic of flight, and for me, it's a yearly pilgrimage. I've been attending events and visiting the museum for years, and each time, it feels like rediscovering a passion. What makes the EAA Museum so special is its incredible breadth and depth. From the earliest days of aviation with delicate, fabric-covered biplanes, to the thunderous roar of modern jets, and even the boundless possibilities of experimental aircraft, there's something to captivate everyone. The displays are thoughtfully curated, and the interactive exhibits are truly engaging. You can climb into cockpits, learn about the science of flight, and even experience a simulated flight. The sheer variety of aircraft on display is staggering, and you always discover something new. For years, I've had a blast wandering through the hangars, marveling at the ingenuity and dedication of the people who built and flew these incredible machines. But this year was different. This year, I brought my kids. Seeing the museum through their eyes was a whole new experience. Their faces lit up as they explored the KidVenture Gallery, pushing buttons, pulling levers, and learning about the principles of flight through hands-on activities. They were absolutely mesmerized by the massive airplanes, asking endless questions and pointing out every detail. Watching them climb into a cockpit, just like I did as a kid, was a truly special moment. The joy and excitement they felt mirrored my own experiences from years past. It was like seeing a piece of my own childhood reflected back at me, and it was incredibly heartwarming. The EAA Museum isn't just about preserving history; it's about inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, always willing to share their expertise and answer questions. The museum is also incredibly well-maintained, and the atmosphere is always welcoming and friendly. If you have any interest in aviation, or if you're just looking for a fun and educational experience for the whole family, the EAA Aviation Museum is a must-visit. It's a place where dreams take flight, and where the wonder of aviation is truly alive. And for me, it's a cherished tradition that I'm thrilled to be sharing with my children. I can't wait to go back next year and create even...

Brought my son, who is an aviation fan, to this museum. We came here primarily because it is on the list of ASTC passport museums (which we can get in to for free) but we stayed because IT - IS - AMAZING! There are so many planes here, they are hung upside down, backwards, forwards, just every which way! The entire facility is very clean, and staff are helpful. Sometimes they have a free pioneer flight for kids ages 8-17 -- but you must be a PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN to sign the waiver for the flight. We tried to wait for the flight, but the shuttle bus to that building took a very long time, and there were many other children that wanted to do it. We didn't have a lot of time to spend so we opted to stay in the main aviation museum side. It was still a great way to spend several hours. My favorite part was the Eagle Hangar with the military planes. There's a large focus on WWII era planes.

My other son is not an aviation enthusiast but he still had a fantastic time in the kids' area with the awesome flight simulators and other interactive exhibits. He also loved hanging out in the other hands on area with ferro fluid and other experiments. He also liked the movies so he could rest his legs.

We visited on a Tuesday and it was not crowded at all, except maybe the line for the kids' flight. We took our time to go through the many exhibits. The gift shop was also great -- lots of EAA items and not just typical museum gift shop items that have prices hiked up. Bathrooms are plentiful (but only on first floor of museum area).

Parking is free. The only thing we wished it had is some kind of food or concession stand. I know other visitors also were looking for this as well. We would have stayed even longer if there was some food option, but they only have a few CASH ONLY vending machines. We did take advantage of them, otherwise we wouldn't have made it!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND this amazing place. You can really spend an entire day easily if you're interested in planes or...