Best aviation museums in mainland Europe

[Syckes]

Hi all.

I will be visiting Europe from in a while and was wondering if you would tell me which of the aviation museums in mainland Europe are worth while visiting. I've never seen a Concord close up so that is pretty high up on my list and looks like the only museum to see one around there is the one at Le Bourget and this one also seems to have a good selection of other aircraft on displays. Are there any other museums that are highly recomended to visit in Germany, Netherlands, France, Czech Rep, Switzerland?

Any info will be much appreciated.

[Lon More]

The UK is full of them. Try Hendon, Duxford, Yeovilton or East Fortune,
In the Netherlands the Aviodrome at Lelystad
In Germany, Sinnsheim (http://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en) has a bit of everything, including a Concorde and a Tu144

There's a sticky here BTW

[SpringHeeledJack]

And not so very far from Sinnsheim is Speyer where they have a good assortment of Aircraft (including an AN-22), lot's of cars and also grand house fittings and 17th century clothing/life for those so interested.


SHJ

[treadigraph]

Also in the Paris area, the Salis Collection at La Ferte Alais, lots of airworthy vintage aircraft.

In the Netherlands, Aviodome at Lelystad.

[Tableview]

Very good one in Prague, I think it's called the Museum of Technology. Also I know it's not mainland Europe, but Glasgow and Brooklands (Weybridge) where they have a Concorde, are both excellent.

[Proplinerman]

Cosford in the UK is not to be missed, tho maybe you aren't coming to Britain, as you say you'll be visiting "mainland Europe." There, loads of museums worth a visit, eg Hermeskeil in south west Germany (replica Concorde here, in which you can have lunch. At Sinsheim they have a TU-144 as well as a Concorde-displayed on poles on top of one of the buildings, next to each other. There's also a 747 on poles at Speyer and I believe there are a no of good museums in the former East Germany.

Kbely near Prague, ones at Vyskov and Kunowice, also in the Czech Republic, the Luftwaffen museum at Gatow near Berlin, one in the centre(?) of Brussels. I've heard the Musee de l'air at Le Bourget is very good; Quatro Vientes near Madrid; Volandia next to Milan Malpensa; ones at Vantaa airport, Helsinki and at Jyvaskyylu, also in Finland; Super Connie, JU-52 and a DC-3 at Munich airport; the Transport Museum at Lucerne and many more I'm sure.

[VictorGolf]

Interesting one in Krakow. It looks just as though the Polish Air Force had left yesterday with rows and rows of assorted Migs. Also just about every glider made in the Eastern Bloc plus a Spitfire and Bf 109. And the girl in reception is/was a stunner.

[Tableview]

I'd forgotten about the one in Krakow, it's fantastic (so is Krakow)
Polish Aviation Museum Cracow (http://www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl/zbiory.php?w=a&zb=aeroplanes)

[Syckes]

Thanks a lot guys. Looks very interesting. I'll definitely go have a look at most of them. Been close to some of them but never had the time to visit any before.

Thanks very much.

[innuendo]

While not specificaly devoted to aviation, the Technical Museum in Munich has quite a lot of aircraft content. The rest of the museum can also occupy a lot of your time. A day is not nearly enough. Excellent place.

[PPRuNe Pop]

And there is the main museum thread at the top of this page!