Seeing as Hawai‘i is a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it follows that it would be greatly affected by the advent of aviation. At PEARL HARBOR AVIATION MUSEUM , which was named “One of the Top Ten Aviation Attractions” by Tripadvisor, visitors can see vintage warplanes and displays dedicated to air combat and its vital role in the Pacific during WWII. In the museum’s Hangar 37, visitors will find a comprehensive collection of exhibits that tell the story of aviation during WWII, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. The 25,000-square-foot area is housed in an authentic WWII-era hangar and features aircraft such as a Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fidghter, Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber and the Boeing N2S-3 Stearman trainer in which President George H.W. Bush trained.
Exhibits include a retelling of the Ni‘ihau Incident and “ A PIERCING BLOW: THE AERIAL ATTACK ON THE USS ARIZONA .” Here is where you’ll find Fighter Ace 360 flight simulators, the gift shop and LANIĀKEA CAFE . (Note: It’s the only air-conditioned eatery at Pearl Harbor and it features a new menu.)
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets may be purchased online (pearlharboraviationmuseum. org) or at the USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL VISITOR CENTER. PEARL HARBOR AVIATION MUSEUM 808-441-1000