Tillamook Air Museum — Attraction in Tillamook

Very cool experience! The blimp hanger itself was probably the most interesting part. It looks massive from the highway, but standing inside it and seeing how much larger it actually is was super cool. There was a video to watch that gave a lot of history on the hanger. Be sure yo check that out.

Something else I enjoyed was that a lot of the photos of the planes on their info boards were of that actual plane. Not just a plane of the same or similar model but that EXACT plane. Minor detail, but a really cool one, in my opinion.

So, a couple of negatives. Some of the older planes were leaking oil. This in itself was not a big deal. They had oil pans and such to catch the mess, and old engines just have those issues sometimes. My problem is the oil smell was really strong in those areas, which was giving me a little bit of a head ache. The hanger is huge and open, so once you moved to the next plane or two, it wasn't an issue. The other negative was a diorama room in the back right corner. Someone spent a LOT of time and effort into them and had some real passion for them. They were all very cool to see but SO much was packed into a fairly small area that it was a bit overwhelming and some of the information was hard to read because it needed to be smaller to fit. Would love to see that area be given a little more elbow room to show itself off a bit more. If you look at that area, do take time to take in some of the creative details of the ships and bunkers in those dioramas.

Over all, very great experience and well worth...

A rare public opportunity to marvel at a forgotten facet of America's aviation history, both civilian and military. The main building is the only remaining Navy Airship program hangar open to the public, a massive and awe-inspiring structure almost 200 feet tall and over a thousand feet long end-to-end. Inside are planes, parts of planes, cutaways of aircraft, war and aviation memorabilia, and exhibits such as a classic 1970s Pan-Am airliner cockpit and passenger cabin where you can get a taste of the luxury of classic flight - you'll be begging for those massive plush seats on your next flight, and wishing the in-air menu looked a tenth as appetizing. In addition to aircraft there are exhibits celebrating the Oregon coast's contributions to the military, massive miniature dioramas of major events from WW2, life size pilot barracks to try squeezing into, and a gift shop full of amazing memorabilia.

People with disabilities should be aware that the interior of this massive structure is large enough that walking around and climbing stairways to look at exhibits may become tiring or require assistance. Further, several exhibits are for aircraft that were designed for maximum space efficiency and may be extremely cramped by the standards of modern vehicles including modern aircraft. Also, as a large enclosed space, some areas can become very warm on a hot day especially the large outdoor cargo...

Out in the middle of nowhere (no cell service until you get back on the main road), this is a surprising gem. Filled with historical exhibits and interactive elements, this is more than just a museum of flying machines.

We planned a day trip from Vancouver, WA to see Tillamook. I wanted to hit the creamery and whatever else we had time for. Ended up spending twice as much time here as the creamery because there was a good bit to see.

The building itself is remarkable, and you can see the ruins of Hangar A from the driveway. For “cow country” this was a delightful surprise.

The museum is a work in progress… some aircraft are showroom ready, while others are obviously being restored on site. As my husband said, don’t expect a “Smithsonian” experience. It’s clear, though, that the people caring for these craft really DO care about getting the history right and complete. The gift shop prices seemed a bit high - even for the clearance items - but I presume that’s because they are subsidizing the care of the aircraft and the hangar with those sales.

If you’re lucky, like we were, you may even have an air force vet on site to tell stories and bring the history to life. Ron gave generously of his time to help us have a wonderful experience at the museum. If you’re up for it, go in “the guppy” outside. It’s the only full sized, complete aircraft you can get...