Categories: Things To Do

This Edmonton museum is located in an historic World War II hangar

Photo via Alberta Aviation Museum/Facebook

This Edmonton museum holds decades of aviation history right in this old aircraft hangar.

In 1991, the Alberta Aviation Museum Association moved into its permanent home, a historic World War II aviation hangar located on Kingsway in Edmonton. Now, it holds an iconic collection of more than 30 aircraft, including its own ground-up restorations.

If you want to take a step back in time and get a closer look at what aircraft occupy the space, there’s no better time to head on down.

What to expect

Once you step into the hangar, there are over 85,000 square feet to explore. So, get yourself ready for a lot of walking and a whole lot of looking.

Tons of aircraft are available for viewing, including ones like the Cranwell CLA.4, one of three airplanes of its kind ever built. Spanning from the early 1900s to models used up until 2005, there’s so much to look at and even more history to uncover.

If you’re looking for something maybe a little bit more action-packed, there’s also Simulator Saturdays. Every Saturday, you can embark on a journey as an aviator pilot yourself. For only $5, you can enjoy 20 uninterrupted minutes of flight time on its state-of-the-art Red Bird Simulators. It’s perfect for children and adults alike.

The museum association regularly hosts events as well, like the upcoming Pancake Breakfast and Food Truck Festival.

On July 25, the museum will be hosting this family-friendly event, bringing people together over a delicious morning meal. From 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., you can enjoy fresh pancakes, great company, and kick off the day surrounded by fun folks. Don’t forget, you won’t want to miss the grand reveal of its brick-built hangar, happening at 10 a.m.

Deciding to stick around? Good decision, because at noon, the grounds will transition into a vibrant food truck festival. With a variety of local vendors, you’ll be able to keep the energy going, especially during KDays week.

If you’re ready to visit, the museum is open seven days a week starting in June. This means, from the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can explore everything this museum has to offer. Don’t worry, these hours include holidays, too.

This is perfect for any pilots in the making. Do yourself a favour, and take advantage of this historic resource sitting right in the middle of the city.