Cradle of Aviation Museum

Went to Cradle of Aviation for the reptile expo on Saturday the 7th with my 5 and 8 year old kids. The parking lot was full and it was so crowded at the reptile booths. It was a nice escape from the expo to checkout the planes with my kids. There was a good amount of interactive aviation display that my kids was not bored. It was great for kids that can read and enjoy the display, otherwise the Childrens Museum is a better choice for younger kids. We will definitely be returning soon

Fun place to be. I didn’t get to explore everything yet, but I’d say the collection is novel. Also cute place to take picture of my toddler piloting a Boeing 707. Make sure using museum pass from your local library. That saves money. Added comment: we returned again. My husband loves the exhibition. He told me about how many things were what he used to see on television when he was a kid. He loves the space-related exhibition. We will come back another time to see things we didn’t finish today.

Went here with my wife over the weekend and we had a fun time! While we were there they had a scavenger hunt which really made us look around at each exhibit. All of the staff there is super friendly and extremely knowledgeable! We got a ton of questions answered and you can tell that the people who work there really do care. We didn’t do any of the shows or extras but I’ve heard good things about them. My great uncle worked for Grumman and always told me stories about the things they would make and it was really cool to see some of them in full size! Would definitely recommend!

We’ve visited the Cradle of Aviation Museum multiple times, and it never gets old—especially with two curious boys! We were lucky to get free tickets through our local library, which made the experience even better. There’s so much to explore, from real aircraft and interactive exhibits to the planetarium and space section. My kids loved the cockpits they could sit in and all the hands-on activities throughout the museum. It’s both fun and educational, and we always end up spending more time there than we plan to. Highly recommend it for families, especially if your kids are into planes, space, or anything that moves!

The Cradle of Aviation Museum is just the right size—not overwhelming, but plenty to see and enjoy. They even have a dedicated play space for toddlers, which makes it great for families with little ones. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, and it’s a really nice museum to explore. Perfect spot for a family outing!

Going in, I thought this would be more for kids, and while the museum is very family friendly, I learned a lot as an aviation enthusiast and was impressed by their collection.

This was my first time visiting the aviation museum, and it was an incredibly informative experience. There were numerous displays and exhibits showcasing aviation history dating back to the 1800s, including iconic airlines like Pan Am and TWA. One of the highlights was the exhibit on the very first aircraft was truly fascinating. I would definitely recommend visiting if you're interested in learning more about aviation and its history.

This is by far one of the best aviation museums I have ever seen. Great exhibits (from the very birth of aviation till the present), a lot of history and not to mention some breathtaking galleries, such as the fighter jets on its side hangar! Great stuff at souvenir shop too! You must visit if in the area!! 👍👌😁👏 10/10, easy!! They deserve the top notch review I promised them!!

Spent 5 hours here and still didn't see everything I wanted to. Saw one movie in the IMAX theater, really good! Educational for adults and kids alike with lots of interactive areas. Docents were all friendly and knowledgeable. Great exhibits, wonderful history, and underpriced in my opinion...

Nice museum with something to enjoy for all ages. They had a cute play room space which was great for getting their energy out and then they enjoyed the movie in the dome theater which was really cool. Overall great experience

This place was so neat. We came here for a space/astronaut theme birthday party and it was sooo much fun. Kids had a guided tour throughout the whole museum. Our guide was very informative but also broke things down so the kids were able to understand and enjoy it. They had an event room where the kids celebrated, ate and made their own telescopes. The museum even made gift bags for each kid.

This is a great place to learn about the history of flight, fighter jets, and spacecrafts! The hands on displays, mannequins, videos, are a fun way to keep people engaged. If you have a child that has an interest in space, this is the perfect place for them. You get to learn about how the astronauts lived in space, which I find interesting. It was inspiring to see how many LI locals went to space! Speaking of space, they have a planetarium here with an IMAX screen! All the shows don't have to do with space. Today for instance, we saw a show that has to do with the ocean and how we need to keep our planet clean. They have lots of events here as well, from cons to movie nights! We have enjoyed them all, and the space is large. Tip: Stop in at your local library, most likely they have free passes! The planetarium and events are extra.

What a great way to spend a day with your family! We stumbled into the aviation museum after checking out the fire museum next door. Immerse yourself in history from flight to space throughout history!

We've been regular visitors here since they opened more than a decade ago. Among my many happy memories here, I got to shake hands with Buzz Aldrin at a book signing, and enjoyed a fabulous dinner while we listened to another man who had walked on the moon, The IMax theater and part time planetarium always has something interesting to see. It is a privilege to have this amazing facility 15 minutes away from our house.

Great Aviation museum! Everything from the beginnings of aviation to space exploration. Lots of little bits of nostalgia. Especially an Apollo Moon lander and F14 Tomcat. Great displays throughout and dozens of helpful and informative docents.

This museum exhibits the rich history of aviation on Long Island. You can spend about 2-3 hours in the museum with adults or kids. Has plenty of information and aircraft from the early times of flying to the modern days of space flight. Planetarium show is also strongly recommended for content and experience. Each day has about 4 scheduled shows with different topic, and each is about 30 minutes.

I had a great time with my wife and son (2 year old) at the museum. We happened to go during the day, on Christmas Eve and it wasn't too packed. They had a giant holiday train that was in the main lobby. We all thought that it was great and enjoyed watching it lap the tracks. The museum itself is very chill. It has lots of interesting information about the planes and the history of flight. It even goes into space travel. Altogether, it was an excellent experience. We were also able to get a pass through our local library so we didn't have to pay the admission, which was a super bonus. I would check it out!

Wow. My wife and I went with our airplane- and space-crazy 4 year old son and could not have been more impressed or pleased with our visit. We live in Washington, DC, and I would rate this museum BETTER in many ways than the National Air & Space Museum on the National Mall in DC. For example, this is MUCH more interactive: instead of just looking at the outside of planes, there were at least 5 or 6 opportunities here to sit in the cockpits of amazing planes and even a space capsule. And to lie down on a simulation of the Wright brothers' plane. Great for kids (and for me, too). Terrific, well-designed displays. Loved the live air-traffic control screen from JFK and LGA. We learned a lot, and I hope that the Air & Space in DC visits this place and learns how to make a more compelling place, especially for kids. Well worth the visit.

The Cradle of Aviation Museum was great and way better than I expected. It's basically a gigantic warehouse packed with a ton of old planes and rockets. My kids loved it!

The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City offers many amazing items from Long Island Grumman Company. The pieces range form Aircrafts, Tanks, Moon Missions and so much more. This is a must do and see for people of all ages. Spend a few hours seeing all the amazing items including a Games Room which offers such Retro Games as Super PacMan, Tetris etc. There is food offered incase you get hungry. Parking is amble but you may have to walk a little.

I honestly hate to beat this place up. I brought my family out, my two week old was free, my two year old was 16 dollars and my wife and I were 18 each. So it came out to about 56 for all of us. Fine, we go in and to be honestly, it's very underwhelming. There is a big blue fighter jet hanging from the raptors and this is the best part, because there are only a few more small decorative planes. They have a lot of plaques with stories and narratives, but me being with my two year old could not just stand there and read them all. There was an area with a lot of retro games that looked cool but was closed during my visit. We were in and out in conservatively an hour. So overall, my advice is to come in, see the blue jet and leave before you pay because it's all down hill after that. I probably wouldnt come it it were free, yet alone pay 56 for 3 people, one of them being a two year old. Put the money into a zoo or an aquarium where at least the money goes towards taking care of the animals. There is really nothing to see here. Reminds me of a step above a free town museum.

We took our almost two year old and four year old here to explore and learn some Long Island aviation history. Both of them loved it! I understand how other reviewers have recommended not bringing a toddler but ours really enjoyed it. They loved looking at all the planes on display, the mannequins with all their historical clothing and all of the interactive buttons/controls to play with. While they may not have understood everything, just getting to watch the hot air balloon inflate and see some old videos was eye-opening to them. They asked so many thoughtful questions about the unique displays. They're already asking to go back!

My family and I went to see Frozen this evening at the Cradle of Aviation Museum for family movie night. It was cute! When we first walked in, they had an area where we could hang our coats, and then a small crafts area where the kids could make snowflakes. Then they had a picture area set up where an Elsa and Anna look alike were taking pictures with the kids. Lastly, they had snack boxes for everyone filled with popcorn, water, fruit snacks, and juice. For $20 per adult and 18 per child, it was certainly worth it to be there after hours and not deal with a huge crowd. My kids enjoyed themselves quite a bit. Elsa and Anna even did a 10 minute performance before the movie began. We'll definitely be back.

My family and I visited this museum on a holiday weekend. It was practically empty near opening time! There are volunteers all over the exhibits, eager to speak with us about the history of aviation. It is a nice touch. I didn't expect to see so many actual planes. I also didn't realize it would focus so much on Long Island, but I should have known - and it makes the museum extra special and local. It's not the best for super young kids. I think I'd come back next time with elementary school age kids or so. The cafe appears to be open, though when we ate one of our snacks around 11, it was totally empty.

Love love love coming here. This place is great for children and adults. Kids can sit in many planes (toddlers). So much information. I have yet to be in the movie thing because I know my toddler probably won't sit in it. There are huge planes in here. You can see first planes, WWI, WWII planes too. You can also learn so much about Long Island.

This is a really cool museum! It's $16, which is totally worth it, but check your local library for a free pass. Ours included four people. I loved the actual planes and rockets they had, and the fact that they zero in on some local Long Island history. All this time and I never knew that Charles Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight set off from Long Island, and that Roosevelt Field was initially an airfield for people like Amelia Airheart. I learned cool new information and was loving the aircraft they have on display. One thing I wish they'd improve is the information on display. A lot of the things they have is lacking a sign with any detail or explanation, so you're left in the dark. Otherwise, seriously cool museum for anyone older than toddler age.

It was good. For a rainy day and something a little different to do on a Saturday, it was fine. Here's my problem though. Too expensive to have exhibits that partially aren't working, and areas that are being changed. Too many "excuse our appearance" signs. Overall, it's also not the biggest aerospace museum, and my husband and me have been to quite a few. I'd rather they put up more interesting exhibits than have a huge useless atrium and a gigantic cafe that could be replaced with vending machines and half the tables. Some of the setups are done well. Some are a little meh. And some aren't fully functional. For $10, maybe I'd give it the five stars and cut them some slack, but not for the current pricing. It doesn't help that we recently went to a free museum in Nashville that knocked our socks off. I don't expect all museums to be free, but if you are going to charge a premium, you should offer a premium experience. I did learn new things though, and we did enjoy the time we spent there, it just wasn't enough.

Cute museum in Garden City with a ton of history on aviation progress and Panam. Great for kids and families. Make sure you check if the planetarium is open before you purchase tickets.

The airplane exhibit was fun and seeing the planes was fun, cool seeing all about history such as the first plane and they simulations are awesome too

Wonderful museum with great displays in the main hall. The staff was wonderful and helpful when I had questions. My only regret is that I didn't have enough time to see everything! I'll have to come back.

What an absolutely cool place to spend some time learning about flight in a hands-on way that will entertain both small and big folk alike! We recently were invited to meet the pilots of the Blue Angels and F-22s and F-35s before the annual Airshow during the Memorial Day weekend and we were also invited to meander through the museum during our visit. The space is laid out very thoughtfully and is easy to navigate. Many buttons for the little ones to push with interactive exhibits make this a place great way to spend time with the little people in your life-as well as a place for the historian in you to enjoy as well. Actual planes and space ships are among the artifacts and really give a scale-to-life picture for the imagination as you wander through the museum. Since Grumman was a huge part of the war effort in the US and Long Island in particular, there are many pieces that you may only see here. A must-see when visiting the central part of Long Island!

Located just an hour from the borough of Manhattan in New York City, this interactive/hands-on air and space museum is a must see for not only solo travel but for groups and families as well! Taking the place of Mitchel Air Force Base and Roosevelt Field, Cradle of Aviation holds the finds of many historical flights. The exhibitions within the hangars of this extraordinary museum display past and modern aeronautical findings and artifacts. Let's not forget to marvel at the iconic Blue Angels U.S. Navy aircraft sitting just right above your head in the lobby for all aviation aficionados to marvel at. Allow multiple visits, as you may not be able to complete the entire museum in one or two hours. Cradle of Aviation offers local aviation history and a mezzanine displaying information about Pan Am flights soaring the skies in the early 1900s. Admission pricing is listed on the website, and parking is free of charge. In regard to admission, there are additional exhibits that you may add on to your ticket and will cost you an extra fee. (IMAX Theater and planetarium for example). Certain Long Island libraries offer a pass for cardholders, which allows free admission as well, so be sure to check that out! The staff are welcoming will be able to answer most questions that you may have. This repository is rated number one attraction in Garden City! Lastly, be sure to visit the store/gift shop -- they offer some really interesting items!

So much more than we expected! Gallery after gallery of history of aviation so muchof which happened on Long Island . Lots of hands on for the kids. Buttons to push and switches to flip . Very impressive restorations. Didn't expect to spend over three hours there . The LEM and moon exhibits bring back so many memories of this 69 year old kid. Great job Cradle of Aviation Museum!!!!!

Disabled Veteran here - the cradle of aviation is the best museum I've ever been to. A lot of military history is shown here. They even offer veteran discounts and accommodate disabled people like myself (I am a disabled veteran). I would recommend. A lot of the stuff here reminds me of my time served in the United States Military. -Ray

My kid loved it. Paid $34 for 1 adult 1 Kid just for the museum part. Planning on coming back.

I came to the museum and it was very informative. The place had great exhibits and it was very interactive. The evolution of airports and aviation was fascinating. I only wish that they have a promotion such as free Fridays or free first Saturdays. Entrance was pricey. However museum is popular for school trips and group activities. Would I go back? Maybe.

Wowza! I can't believe that in all the years I've lived on Long Island, I have never been here. I'm not really a historian of aviation or even that interested in old planes and the likes however... that all changed once you walk through the doors. Was here for an event and it was exquisite. Obviously the decor wasn't altered and I'm sure quite static but red carpets and champagne make any occasion seem awesome. Look up! You will be amazed at what's dangling from above.... whether a space capsule pod or The Wright Brothers replica you will be dazzled from start to finish. Perfect space for an event or to bring your family, something for everyone. The coolest part of the tour is taking in the Long Island contributions to space and aeronautics. Grumman played a huge role during the war effort (WWII) and it is represented quite nicely amongst the other awe-inspiring exhibits. Well done!

What's that in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? A large amount of beer? How about two out of three? Sure! That was Saturday at The Cradle of Aviation as it was time for the Hops and Props Craft Beer Festival. Let's drink up into the wild blue yonder! I've been to The Cradle a handful of times, but my reasoning has always been for something other than strictly aviation. This was my third year at Hops and Props and unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down compared to the last two years. Reasoning? Space. No, I don't actually mean the final frontier. I'm talking about the amount of room you have to move around. What makes this event so interestingly different is your ability to walk through a large portion of the museum, checking out cockpits and old time-y planes all while stopping at beer stands and food kiosks to sip and bite. The problem this year was setup as there were areas with no brewery stands while certain spots packed in far too many, causing major crowds and traffic jams. If you're claustrophobic, you wouldn't have survived, unless you grew wings! Despite this, the event was still pretty rockin' and I'd return again for year number four in hopes that they learned their lesson. Beyond this event, The Cradle holds many other festivals and the like (see Chocolate Expo review) giving many reasons to come. The areas behind the initial aviation are also awesome. I mean there's currently an exhibit of just old arcade/video games that you can play. My buddies are already carving out a time to make this happen. You can then head off to the stars and check out the planetarium or catch an informational flick in the giant Dome Theater. There's plenty to do, see, and play in these parts. Overall, The Cradle of Aviation is a wonderful place to visit, either for a special event or just for an afternoon of aerial knowledge (or arcade games, of course). Though for this review, I can't bump the place up to 5 stars just because of Hops and Props being badly laid out this year. But don't let that stop you from any other event, or more importantly, from soaring into the sky sometime soon.

Thanks to our friends of the library program, we were able to get free museum passes to come here. After a recent trip to Europe, my toddler has been asking every day, "We go on plane today?" Since I can't afford to jet set every day of the week, why not come here? I have to say, the kids play area is pretty awesome and the biggest appeal if you have young children. They have legit airplane seats, an old submarine, cockpit etc for kids to explore. Super fun. They have big blocks for stacking, a helicopter, books...plenty to keep occupied. The other exhibits were a bit lacking and this museum is in need of an update (the carpeting is coming up in places and ripped) but it was cool seeing planes and such hung from the ceiling. My son liked the bi-plane in particular and asked if we could go in it. Some of the exhibits, like the one about PAN-AM I wanted to watch and learn more about but my guy had no patience for it. Sigh. We didn't check out the I-MAX because we had recently seen the show at the Vanderbilt Planetarium, Elmo's One World, One Sky. I wish they had another age-appropriate option for the littles. I didn't want to spend the money on something we have seen twice, or something that might scare him as he's not even three. FYI The library passes don't cover admission to the I-MAX but it does give you a discount on the price. It is a cool spot, in need of a little TLC but I love supporting our local museums. When you walk through part of it, it does connect to the Firefighter museum, which is a separate price to enter.

I grew up on Long Island, never having been here until my 37th birthday when we were looking for something space themed to do with the kids on a blazing hot day. Wow!!! What a gem and I had no idea! So much to see, wonderful and knowledgeable volunteers and staff excited to share and teach every little detail about the history of aviation. It also gave me such a boost of Long Island pride as I never realized just how much happened here!! There is a real lunar module, a Gemini capsule you can sit in, an exact replica of Charles Lindbergh's plane that was used in the movie, moon rocks, real Apollo simulators and planes from every era and so much more! My kids are little (4 & 2) and we were not sure how much they'd enjoy it - a ton of plane cockpits to sit in & flip switches and a great kids play area. We loved it so much we signed up for annual membership and went back again the next morning. A perfect way to spend a few hours with or without kids... worth a thorough walk through Atleast once and then a great place to go back to for special events or a cold/hot/rainy day you don't want to be mindlessly parading the mall like everybody else!

Went to my 8 year old grandson's birthday party here. He absolutely loved it. At first they did a craft and then had pizza and birthday cake. Afterwards they had a guided tour geared for their age. The party was 3 hours long. They all earned their wings. The museum is amazing. The staff does a superb job. Our grandson has been enthralled by this place. So many planes and other memorabilia. He has been coming here on a regular basis and will continue. It's great for all ages young and old.

Such a cute mueseum! You could go through it within 1-2 hours and they often have arcade related exhibits. The staff is really knowledgeable and if you're lucky and go during a slower period you could get a pretty insightful little tour from a friendly staff member. Just such a great plethora of aviation history on Long Island! Also fun merch at the store.

Festival of Trees Event (November 25th 2018) Festival of Trees was an special event I attended held at the cradle of Aviation. It was pretty much different themed trees displayed, assortment of different holiday vendors, ice rink for the kiddies, free Santa photo op, and dance productions from local schools. It wasn't really what I expected to be, too crowded, the vendors were not interesting and the ice rink wasn't really ice. But I'm glad the money went to a great cause CP Nassau (Cerebral Palsy). Stayed for just an hour. Next year I hope to see more vendors and food options available.

My husband and I went looking for a planetarium show and we found this one. The parking was medium sized and we found parking right away. However, when we purchased tickets the show stated it was from 1-1:45. But when we got there, the show started late, possibly 105 and then the show ended at 1:30! So the show was about 20 mins? The theater itself was small. And the show itself wasn't clear. I wish the imagery was cleaner and the show was longer. I was just getting into the show when they said this was it. All in all, a bit disappointed for the long drive and experience. The pricing was $20, $10 per person. So I guess you get what u paid for. There's other parts of the museum for aviators and other parts to explore but the museum itself was small and most of the parts was closed. I don't think I'll recommend this place or go back.

What a great way to spend the day or a few hours exploring. There's plenty of free parking there too. I'm not sure if it was a temporary section but there is also a throwback arcade available as part of the admission fee. The arcade section is upstairs and gives you free play on all types of old school arcade games including Atari games. If you like video games you could probably spend a decent part of the day here just doing that. It was like going to an arcade but all the games were free. The rest of the museum is great. It basically walks you thru how aviation started. From the early "airplanes" to todays current aircraft including actual retired fighters jets. its also a very interactive place, meaning they have spots where you can simulate how it would be to be in the cockpit of an aircraft. There were also stations that explains how flying works. Great for kids too. There is a fire fighter museum attached which I didn't go into but it looked like it was great for kids. There isn't much within walking distance to eat but they do have a cafeteria here. Basic burgers, chicken fingers, pizza, soda, cookies, ice cream, etc. Good if you do end up spending a few hours here and get hungry. Huge seating area which is nice for when it gets busy.

awesome place i come here like ten times a year for video game convections a lot to do here

Very cool museum. Surprisingly big. Terrific docents on the floor. Plenty to keep the interest of the young and old, history buffs and novices. Great to have a piece of living history!

I love the Cradle. I've been coming often for the past 10 years and it's kind of a hidden gem on museum row. Most families with young kids will often find themselves next door at LICM which is a great kid's museum but almost always packed. For a much more laid back experience come to the Cradle. It's seldom busy except when hosting events. The museum has a ton to see and do. The IMAX theater has some great shows and the snack bar here is actually a solid place to eat. Prices are very affordable and they have all the kid classics from chicken fingers, pizza, burgers and pretzels. The Junior Jet Club is a great play space for kids 6 and under and as a parent I always loved it because they lots of spots for parents to sit down while your kids run around on their own in a safe fun play space. Oh and they also have a great gift shop filled with space and plane related merch. So the museum is awesome on its own but really crushes it on the various events they host throughout the year. CradleCon is an awesome geek con they host every year, Festival of Trees is another excellent yearly event, check their website as they have stuff all the time and its always something different. Lastly I want to plug their kids birthday parties as we had my sons 4th or 5th birthday at the Cradle and it was by far the best place we have used on Long Island. We've done all the popular ones (like White Post, Laser Bounce, LICM) and yet the Cradle which is far less popular offered the best overall experience and value. We had 2 staff members running everything, we literally had to do nothing, we dropped off a box of decorations which they did all the decorating for our Star Wars themed party. The food choices were abundant and reasonably priced. I hate just serving pizza for the kids and adults so here we were able to also get chicken fingers, fries, sandwiches for the adults and I think we even had some appetizers. We were also the only party so we had the whole place to ourselves. The kids did a craft where they made airplanes and got to throw them off the balcony. And then the party wrapped up after the food with time in the before mentioned Junior Jet Club. Nice thing is they have lots of options like doing IMAX or other things so you can tailor your party for older kids too. Parents didn't need to do anything at all, the staff was great with the kids and kept everything under control and moving smoothly. And at the end of the party, our 2 hostesses packed up everything (food, decorations and gifts) and loaded it all into our car for us! We are planning to come back again for our sons 9th birthday next year as we have never had anyone else have a party here and we still talk about how well it went 5 years later. And the cost was less than any of the places mentioned above for kid parties which is also great!!

Visit Date: January 28, 2017 I came to this museum for their arcade/80s karaoke night. I had a great time for a night out and enjoyed the layout of the event and the activities of the event, mainly the karaoke and hanging out with my sisters while they took care of my son for me. Hubby enjoyed the arcade part of the event with some friends of his. I can't say much for how the actual exhibits are but if I come back in the future I will update my review!

An institution on Long Island, it is accorded great respect for the history and memorabilia it houses. However, the cost of admission, even for young children, coupled with additional fees is out of line. The young children's play area charges a fee just to use. It is tired and needs revamping as well. Volunteers are an integral part of this facility and we do appreciate their time and effort. It is a popular venue for special events and parties as well.

Air & Space museum. I totally forget this place is here and how decent it is. Great collection of, you guessed it, air and space relics and historic craft - and there is an Imax theater in there as well. You have to love the F-11 that is suspended overhead when you first walk in- I think it was an old Blue Angels craft. Additionally, there are all sorts of other things hanging from the ceiling - and plenty to see all around the place. There is more in an adjacent building and a cafe of sorts on the premises. Plenty of parking available.

Manager was rude and completely unprofessional. Wish there was someone else i would had spoken to. I tried to scheduled an event for my club but it never went through and i was glad. So many machines were out of order, not worth the money. Only thing that was positive was that it was easy to find parking space. Hope you enjoy your free lunch. explains why you're so big and tall (Enjoy flaunting it).

"Ever make out in a rocket?" I tell my wife as we're alone in the Cradle of Aviation Museum waiting for a gala to start. Cradle of Aviation Museum, it's really an homage if you will, to Long Island. Long Islanders were at the forefront of the Space program. Back in the day when Grumman had a large presence here, we built ("We" meaning Long Islanders. I couldn't build anything much less a rocket) the Apollo Lunar Module which landed men on the moon. Grumman also continued that success with military fighter planes such as the A-6 Intruder and E-2 Hawkeye. In the 1970s brought the Grumman EA-6B Prowler and F-14 Tomcat. By the 80s? The party was over, Grumman was bought out and then the biggest employer for a brief moment was.... Waldbaums. Can you believe Charles Lindbergh's historic flight happened here in Long Island? I always find it funny, what do we do? (Again, we) We paved over everything and make the biggest Mall in Long Island. Where are the Roosevelt Fields?? You can see Charles Lindbergh's plane at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. I was impressed walking around on my own private tour. Lots of aircraft to see as well as rockets that brought men to the Moon. (by Long Islanders)

This is a great area attraction, lesser known (at least by me!) but a MUST for anyone who's a fan of all things related to flight!! Took the Mr. here while we were home for Thanksgiving, and it was a great experience. While he's spoiled by Dayton, Ohio's Air Force Museum, which has SO MUCH that you can't possibly see more than a fraction of the exhibits in one visit, this smaller museum was still chock full of great info, with a very interesting local historic emphasis. I never realized what a vital role Long Island played in aviation history!! Very interesting displays from the earliest days of flight, through WWI and II through today. There's definitely something for everyone here, from small children to adult enthusiasts. As it was pre-holidays, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. They were setting up for a Festival of Trees, which looked to be a fun event, and we got a great preview. There's a fire truck museum on the premises as well, and I did think it was sort of a rip off that there were two separate admission fees... We had a quick bite at the not too impressive museum cafe; I'd say save your $$, enjoy more time at the museum, and go out for dinner somewhere nearby afterwards. All in all, a nice way to spend the afternoon and learn a thing or two!!

The Cradle of Aviation's strength is that it's a convent centralized location. It's good for medium sized events such as the Peruvian Food Festival, Craft Beer Festival, Tattoo Show, Comic Book & Collectible Show, Retro Gaming Expo and the Christmas Show. The glass atrium portion of the building has plenty of space for vendors, displays and demonstrations. In both the glass atrium and the museum area, the technicians can run temporary extensions if a vendor, display or demonstration area needs electricity. The maintenance staff does a good job of keeping the restrooms clean and they will also empty garbage cans promptly, when required. If you're going to be in the museum area as a vendor, or doing a demonstration the museum displays are going to be a major distraction. You may want to consider using Pipe & Drape to blackout any displays that distract from whatever you're doing... I do not like the food that's served at the Mars Café... If you are attending an event that allows you to exit and return without paying for readmission, you may want to consider going to a diner or McDonald's on Hempstead Turnpike... There's also the food court at the nearby Roosevelt Field Mall. The IMAX theater only has one element that I would consider a benefit: The theater can be used as a lecture hall. The theater has a provision for a small stage where people can stand and talk to the audience with a microphone. There is also the ability to project video from traditional media such as DVD's, video tapes and output from a PC/MAC. Other than that, I consider the theater to be of very limited value. The theater's Achilles Heel is the domed screen. The dome is more of a hindrance than a help. The short-subject, educational films, made specifically for the domed IMAX screen are geared towards people no older than high-school seniors... The effects in these films are high-tech and very slick, but overall the subject matter of these films will put adults to sleep. Traditional IMAX films can't be shown here. The dome will severely distort the traditional IMAX image, rendering it unwatchable. Any other media projected onto the domed screen will also be distorted and will be frustrating to watch. On days when the Cradle of Aviation is not being rented out for other events, the museum is deathly-quiet, morgue-like, highly-forgettable loser that easily be skipped. Regardless of the time of year, there are always kid and family friendly events going on in the NYC Metro area... Skip the Cradle of Aviation, use Google to find something else... All boiled down: Rent out this venue for your event? Absolutely yes. Go just to see the museum? No, skip it.

One of the best museums on Long Island. This place is a hidden gem. Not very well known but a well organized treasure trove of information and exhibits. I went to this museum for the first time this year with my 1.5 yr old daughter and my 65 yr old father. I can honestly say that all three of us really enjoyed this museum. There is extensive history of Long Island aviation industry and their pivotal role in WWII. I've never felt so much pride to be a Long-Islander. There's an indoor aviation themed playground called the "Junior Jet Club" that's designed for children 2-6 years old. My daughter had a blast inside. There are so much to play with and explore for her. She ran around like a little Energizer bunny and got her hands on just about everything she can reach. There is also an outdoor section of the museum that we didn't get a chance to see due to the weather. We'll definitely have to go back again to check it out.

I have been here a few times. They are on museum row...really the main part of it. You drive in the entrance and grab a spot. Walking into the atrium, you go left to pay and get your badge for the day. Drop it in the bin in the way out, so it can be reused. It's a museum afterall. They have a huge Imax theater that seats 300. It is pretty great. Check the calendar. They sometimes have box office movies there too. They have a bunch of aviation exhibits celebrating Long Island and aviation in general. Want to see some sweet planes? They got them. Want to see some moon modules? They got them. Want to play some old video games? They got them. Definitely check it out.