Cradle of Aviation Museum

This is the kind of museum you usually find in Manhattan or Washington - it is such a great surprise to find this little treasure tucked away on the far side of the Roosevelt Field shopping mall. They have small aircraft from years ago, when the area was one of the centers of aviation (thus the name, Cradle of Aviation). Charles Lindbergh took off from the old airstrip here, and they have the sister plane of the Spirit of St. Louis on display. But perhaps the greatest part of this museum is in the space sections (thanks the Grumman, Long Island played a major role in the space place). In addition to some great little rockets and satellites, they have an actual lunar landing module. Not a replica, but one that was destined to go to the moon before the Apollo program was scrapped. It's an awesome moment, stepping into the room with the lunar lander. In addition to the displays, they also have a great IMAX theater in the museum. more

Long Island has always been on the edge of aviation history. The Cradle of Aviation Museum, located right near Roosevelt Field (the former airstrip), helps explain a lot of Long Island's involvement in the field of aviation. For native Long Islanders, it is almost surreal to see old film reels of Roosevelt Field without the beloved mall, but a giant airstrip. The museum takes us from LI's involvement in supplying planes for WWI and II, as well as the world of aviation today. Definitely take a peek inside, the artifacts alone are really a great sight. more

Your children will be amazed by all the full size planes in this museum and even a few hanging from the glass ceiling in the lobby. There are cockpits form real planes that you and your family can go into and act like you are real pilots. There is a space flight simulator that fits about ten people and is very fun to ride especially for kids 8 - 12. There are two sections of the museum, one has regular planes and jets while the other section contains rockets and other things having to do with space flight. There is a full size iMax theater and a large food court contained within the facility as well. The museum can be rented out for Bar/Bat mitzvahs, weddings, and parties as well. This is a great place for a school trip. more