Pima Air & Space Museum

The Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, AZ, is well worth the visit. It is about 15 minutes from the Tucson International Airport or downtown Tucson. I drove down from Phoenix. The drive was 2 hours with a “pit stop”.

The museum was easy to find. The approach to the facility was exciting as you can start to see the aircraft as you approach. Car parking was adequate.

Pima does charge for admission. The latest rates can be found on their website. They do offer discounts on 2-day access. If you are in Tucson, you could easily spend 2 days at this museum.

The museum is vast, with several large hangars and what I call a boneyard where museum aircraft have been parked in the desert. Aircraft are parked in order of type, such as fighters, bombers, commercial, etc.

There is a café connected to the main hangar where snacks and drinks can be purchased. Prices were reasonable for a museum.

Top 3 Tips for Visiting Pima Air & Space Museum

Arrive early. I suggest being early to get covered parking. It is the desert, and keeping the sun out of the car makes a big difference.
Visit in the Fall, Winter or Spring. Average highs in Tucson from June through September are higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Be prepared to walk or pay for the tram. The museum is quite large. As I walked the yard looking at all the incredible aircraft, my children conked out and got whiny. The desert was too much walking than their little legs. The museum offers a 45 tram tour for $8. I highly recommend this if you travel with children or older folks. (I wish I would have paid for the tram.)