The Cradle of Aviation Museum, located in Garden City, New York, is dedicated to preserving and showcasing Long Island’s rich aerospace heritage. Situated on land that was once part of Mitchel Air Force Base, the museum features over 75 air and spacecraft across eight exhibit galleries, chronicling 100 years of aviation history—from early hot air balloons to an actual Apollo Lunar Module.
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Charles Lindbergh Blvd
Garden City
New York 11530
+1 (516) 572-4111
Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
Open Mondays that fall on holidays and school breaks
Admission fee
Gift Shop
Driving Directions
- Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4, follow signs to Museum Row which will put you on Charles Lindbergh Blvd, stay on Charles Lindbergh Blvd. to the second traffic light and turn right into the parking lot.
- Bus: The N16, N45, and N51 buses stop several blocks from the Museum at Nassau Community College.
- Train: Taxis available from the following LIRR stations: Garden City, Mineola, and Westbury.
Aircraft collection
Boeing 707-458 4X-ATA EL AL
| N69097
N191G – 4X-ATA 33622 B-3107 NC78K – – N63N 1187 – NC753M NC753M – 76-0535/NF 77-0252 – NC614M – 162184 0-12994 160012/AD – 0968/6-F-1 12297/4 94263/77 130763/R-126 141832/5 157982/3 159432/AE-212 160899/110 164603/NK-101 NX41858 – NC169134 91586/113 – N659AK – 4014 – – – – N52SS – N822W – N92972 51-9480/PS-504 57-5783 – 631 44-89444/08 45-59504 N6461K N73A N-X-211 NC349N – AS.22-328 N1115 45-15574 – 22-00338 | Aircraft Engineering Company Ace
Bellanca Monoplane (replica) Bleriot XI Boeing 707-458 (cockpit) Breese Penguin Brewster F2A-2 Buffalo (replica) Brunner Winkle Bird A Cassutt B Special Cessna 172 (cockpit) Convair 340 (cockpit) Convertawings A quadrarotor Curtiss JN-4A Jenny Curtiss JN-4D Jenny (fuselage) Curtiss Robin C-1 (cockpit) Curtiss Robin Floatplane Douglas C-47B Skytrain (cockpit) Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (cockpit) Fairchild-Republic T-46A Fleet 2 Grumman A-6E Intruder (cockpit) Grumman A-6F Intruder Grumman AV-1B Mohawk Grumman E-2C Hawkeye Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (cockpit) Grumman F3F-2 (replica) Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat Grumman F-9H Cougar Grumman F-11A Tiger Grumman YF-14A Tomcat Grumman F-14A Tomcat (cockpit) Grumman F-14A Tomcat (cockpit) Grumman F-14D Tomcat Grumman G-63 Kitten I Grumman G-164 Ag-Cat Grumman OA-13A Goose Grumman TBM-3E Avenger Gyrodyne DSN-3 Gyrodyne GCA.2C Gyrodyne QH-50C Gyrodyne XHOG-1 Herring-Curtiss 1 (replica) Langley Aerodrome 5 Lilienthal Normal-Segelapparat (replica) Merlin Hang Glider Monnett Monerai S Paramotor FX-5 Peel Z-1 Glider Boat Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee (cockpit) Rearwin 175 Skyranger Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Republic F-105B Thunderchief Republic F-105D Thunderchief (cockpit) Republic JB-2 Republic P-47N Thunderbolt Republic P-84B Thunderjet Republic RC-3 Seabee Rutan 73 Ryan NYP (replica) Savoia-Marchetti SM.56 Sperry Aerial Torpedo Sperry-Verville M-1 Messenger (replica) Thomas-Morse S-4C Waco CG-4A Hadrian Wright EX Vin Fiz (replica) M-1 |
Convair 340 N24AT ex German Air Force (12+01)
Douglas C-47B Skytrain Long Islands Duck II
Grumman F-14A Tomcat (cockpit) 160899 110 US Navy
Curtiss JN-4A Jenny 1187 was owned by Charles Lindbergh
Curtiss Robin C1 floatplane NC753M Lif Co
Ryan NYP (replica) N-X-211 Spirit of St. Louis
Visitors can explore a diverse collection of aircraft, including:
- Charles Lindbergh’s Curtiss Jenny, which he used for barnstorming.
- The Grumman F-14 Tomcat, a supersonic fighter jet.
- An unused Apollo Lunar Module, designated LM-13, originally intended for the Apollo 19 mission.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum offers interactive experiences, such as a “cockpit trail” where visitors can sit in aircraft cockpits from different eras. Additionally, the Jet Blue Dome Theater provides digital films and planetarium shows.
Within the same complex, the Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum and Education Center offers hands-on exhibits featuring antique and contemporary fire apparatus and gear, tracing the history of firefighting in Nassau County.
Photos Arjun Sarup