Jet Age Museum

Jet Age Museum is an aviation museum in Gloucestershire, England. It is home to the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection. The museum is a registered charity and is run only by volunteers. It was founded in 1986. Its aim is to preserve the county's aviation heritage for the public and local communities.

The museum tells the story of flight in Gloucestershire. The story starts with the early days of flying and moves through the birth of the Jet Age to today's aerospace industry. The site says local aviation spans well over 100 years. It runs from balloons and World War One and Two fighters to jets, landing gear and propellers. It also covers the Red Arrows, Concorde testing and modern drone operations.

Visitors can see aircraft, engines, models, artefacts and restoration projects. Several open cockpits can be explored. Timed tours of the Trident and Vulcan cockpits are popular. The Vulcan tour lasts 15 minutes and the Trident tour lasts 20 minutes. The site suggests booking on arrival. Volunteers are on hand to answer questions.

The museum honors Sir Frank Whittle, who invented the jet engine. The site says his work made long haul flights around the globe possible. The museum site sits at Staverton Airport, so visitors can watch planes take off during a visit.

The museum is usually open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Extra opening days are posted on the website. There is no admission charge, and the museum relies on donations. It has a cafe called the Jet and Whittle Cafe, which serves hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks. A shop stocks aviation books, models, DVDs and souvenirs.

Groups can arrange visits outside public hours. The museum lists educational days, corporate visits, social clubs, youth groups, talks and guided tours. It also hires out its facilities for private and corporate events.

People can help by volunteering, joining as a member or donating. The website has pages on exhibits, events, accessibility, history, aims and objectives, and lenders and donors.