Great Things To See At Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, located on Ford Island in the center of the historic Pearl Harbor, exhibits military aircraft from WWII, Vietnam, and the Korean War in two huge hangars totalling more than 120,000 square feet.
Depending on the location, the highlights here are all connected to Pearl Harbor: Hangar 37 is home to Japanese Zero aircraft, a civilian jet shot down during the Pearl Harbor assault, and a P-40 fighter plane identical to those that flew on December 7th, 1941. Bullet holes from that day may still be seen on the door of Hangar 79. Besides from that, for an extra charge, guests may participate in very popular combat flight simulator experiences, which take 30-minutes in total, including a briefing on the simulator.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s Hangar 37
Housed in a World War II-era hangar, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s Hangar 37 is home to an impressive collection of artifacts that tell the story of December 7th 1941 and beyond. Their theater offers complimentary viewings for visitors who have just arrived - see “East Wind Rain" every 15 minutes upon entry!
Once inside, guests are greeted with a hallway depicting life in the Islands in the 1940s, prior to the war. Upon entering the 25,000 square foot display space, visitors are taken into the moment of the assault with the actual aircraft that appeared in the sky that tragic day, as well as maps and other items from our collection that give complexity and depth to this compelling narrative.
Along with our spectacular exhibits, Hangar 37 has the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators, two new simulators with 360-degree movement across two axes for a heart-pounding battle over Pacific seas. Guests may enjoy visiting the Gift Shop or dining at Laniakea Cafe, Pearl Harbor's only dine-in restaurant and the only location to drink beer or wine throughout your journey to the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s Hangar 79
This 80,000 square foot maintenance and engine repair complex also survived the December 7, 1941 bombing on Pearl Harbor, as shown by bullet holes in the blue glass windows. During WWII, it served as a maintenance and engine repair facility for fighters, bombers, and patrol planes stationed in Pearl Harbor or en way to the front lines.
Hangar 79 is home to The Shealy Restoration Business, a real aviation restoration shop that puts vintage airplanes back to life. The Shealy Restoration Shop is crowded with historic planes waiting to be restored for future exhibition, including the famous B-17 Swamp Ghost.
