About Air Mobility Command Museum
The Air Mobility Command Museum is filled with aircraft designed to carry tanks, supplies, troops, fuel, and even other aircraft across vast distances. Many are so large that ordinary museum proportions stop making sense. Visitors can walk beneath towering wings, stare into cavernous cargo compartments, and stand beside engines large enough to dwarf a person.
The museum began with a restoration project undertaken by volunteers from Dover Air Force Base. It became an official historical center in 1986 and later moved into Hangar 1301, a building associated with military rocket testing. The collection now traces the history of airlift and aerial refueling through restored planes, engines, uniforms, equipment, and personal stories.
Highlights include long-range transports, tankers, helicopters, and aircraft from several eras of military aviation. Selected planes are opened for interior tours when volunteers and conditions allow. Climbing through a cargo aircraft reveals the strange combination of cramped crew stations and enormous empty space required to move heavy equipment around the world.
The museum has a separate public entrance near Dover Air Force Base, so visitors do not ordinarily need to pass through the secured portion of the installation. Admission and parking are free. Hours, aircraft access, and special events can change, making the museum’s official website the best source before visiting.