World's 14 best aviation museums

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Yep, entirely agree, Adler. My top five would be (in no particular order) - and this is the entire collection as opposed to a particular site; bearing in mind the historic nature of the airframes contained within;

The RAF Museum, The Smithsonian, The Musee de L Air, the USAF Museum and the EAA Air Venture collection.
 
DerAdlerIstGelandet said:
How a top 5 can not include the RAF Museums is beyond me? Just historical aspect of their collection, puts them in the top 5 along with the NASM.
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I included Duxford.

Besides, when you get into the top several museums, they're all at the same level of quality and quantity. Its like you have tier 1 museums, tier 2 museums, etc.
 
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syscom3 said:
Pima is unique in that the large sized aircraft are out on display. Nowhere else in the world can you see a B17, B24, B29, B36, B47 and B52 all in one place.
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Doesn't Dayton have all those on display ?

I haven't been there in several years
 
syscom3 said:
I included Duxford.

Besides, when you get into the top several museums, they're all at the same level of quality and quantity. Its like you have tier 1 museums, tier 2 museums, etc.
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As already mentioned, Duxford is the Imperial War Museum, one of four locations under that banner in the UK, and the flying aircraft at Duxford are, in the main, privately owned, and not part of the Museum collections. Although certainly one of the best aviation and military vehicles museums in the World, it is totally separate and not connected to the two main Royal Air Force Museum sites at Hendon, North London, and RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton.
With their vast collections of aircraft exhibits alone, including many extremely rare and unique airframes, not to mention the collections of vehicles, armaments, engines, artefacts, uniforms and equipment, photographs, documents and medals, any listing of so-called 'Top Museums' can not be taken seriously without the inclusion of these two sites.
The list as shown is evidently the work and opinions of individuals who have little knowledge of aviation and its history, and is comparable to a list of 'The World's Top 14 Cafe bars'.
 
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I am just glad there are so many great museums, I think its a bit unfair to rate them, it depends on what your interest is or maybe which model you are building as to which is the best.
 
I was mistaken about Duxford being the RAF museum. I stand corrected. looks like the RAF museum is a tier 1 facility.

As for the AFM, I thought the B36 from their collection was given to Pima for display. But then Pima has some aircraft that the AFM doesnt have, and they have a lot more area to spread the aircraft around so they arent jumbled together. Both are definately in the top 5 of the world.
 
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