Upon arriving in the museum, Erika and I were greeted by one of the volunteers working in the museum. We passed on the movie she mentioned and toured the museum on our own. There are guided tours through the museum on an hourly basis, but seeing it on your own is the best way and allows you to see the exhibits at your own pace.

One can get lost in this place because it is so big. I thought I was going to hurt my back again staring up at all of the planes strung up from the second level throughout the museum. "They look smaller on TV than in person," I thought! Erika and I spent most of our time in the west wing of the museum where the World War II planes and exhibits are located. Downstairs are several artifacts and newspaper clipping from World War II mostly about the Pacific Theater well worth your time looking at and reading.

After seeing the downstairs exhibits, Erika and I went upstairs to see the exhibits there. There is an awesome reproduction of a Marine Air Base in the Pacific during WWII that is straight out of that '70s TV show Black Sheep Squadron along with a replica of life on the home front during WWII. Erika and I got talking with one of the old security guards on duty on the second floor. I spoke with him longer than Erika did and didn't realize she had taken off to see more exhibits, and I had to run after her!

Other exhibits on display at the NMNA are worth mentioning here. Erika and I got totally engrossed in the Hall of Honor on the upper level honoring many of our Naval heroes such as "Pappy" Boyington, Alan Shepherd, and John Glenn. Erika was back downstairs by the time I finished touring this exhibit, and I was chasing her again. The POW exhibit on the treatment of American airmen held in Vietnam is very moving. Many of our boys spent up to seven years in North Vietnamese captivity including the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" and still suffer from the physical and mental wounds inflicted by their captors.

The NMNA is open daily from 9am-5pm and is well worth a couple of hours or more to tour. There is a gift shop inside the museum (9:30am-5pm), but I found it a little pricey but bought a Navy Fly Boy Teddy Bear. I am still a child at heart!

If there is an ex-or-current Naval aviator in your family, figure out a way to get them and your family to this museum together. If you haven’t got such a person, come anyway, and hook up with one of the older guides. Many served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam and can tell wonderful stories of how these aircraft operated during these conflicts.

The collection is extensive. It includes lighter-than-air craft, space capsules, a Blue Angels squadron, aircraft from every age, and aircraft retrieved from the waters of Lake Michigan. There are portions of an aircraft carrier, including one of the anti-aircraft guns that can still swing around on the cranked mechanisms. The home front exhibits and WWII Pacific exhibits help us remember what it was like in 1943.

While you can’t climb into most of the displayed planes, there are several actual cockpits available for pilots-to-be to try out. My 3-year-old loved the Blue Angel cockpit (see pics).

You can also see actual Navy pilots in training on computerized trainers. Unfortunately you can only watch! For those who need a ride to find excitement, there is a flight simulator ride, although it is much tamer than amusement park versions ($3.50). An IMAX theater is also available ($6).Because the museum is on the Navy Base and far from any restaurants, you will probably find yourself eating at the Cubi Bar and Café in the museum. The food and prices are ok, but everyone else at the museum is in the same predicament. Don’t wait until your kids are starving to get on the waiting list. Better yet, pack a picnic.

Our 5 and 3 year old boys were probably too young to fully appreciate this museum. They have yet to understand the sacrifices made by our military personnel. However the children’s area, which is near the museum store, kept them happy when they needed a break from walking. They were equally happy at Fort Barrancus just down the road, which is an excellent side trip to this museum.

The Naval Aviation Museum is a must for any one with even a mild interest. Go even if you have small kids. Take turns watching them and enjoying the exhibits.

Visit the National Museum of Naval Aviation on the web.