Imperial War museum A great Day out.

Imperial War museum DUXFORD
Attraction (General)
in/near Duxford, Cambridgeshire,
England East Of England

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Recommendation added: 26/03/2006 10:19
By: jsimons128 (YSUK rating +99)

jsimons128 has been thanked 2 times for this contribution

"Impossible to miss from the motorway, this big former airbase is a good deal more rewarding for children then you might expect, with plenty to look at apart from the old planes, and a good deal of effort has been put into making the displays and exhibits both relevant and evocative. Best of all, its free for children, so while a visit can easily stretch out to a whole day, it shouldn't end up costing too much money. Un-missable for anyone interested in aviation, its home to Europe's best collection of military and civil aircraft, 180 in all, from flimsy looking bi-planes to state of the art gulf war jets. Children can clamber into the cockpits of some of them, or just as dramatic, walk right underneath. They also have a huge collection of tanks and military vehicles, and a naval collection Inc midget submarines and helicopters. New exhibitions are added all the time: last year they opened the well put together Normandy experience, which aims to show what life was like for the infantrymen in Normandy; you enter by crossing over a landing craft to the sound of gunfire. Children can pick up helmets and gun packs, and imagine what it must have been like trying to run wearing them. The most obvious recent addition is the American Air Museum, a collection of US combat aircraft in a remarkable new building by Norman Foster. There's a lively new simulator ride for children (small charge applies), summer narrow-gauge railway and an adventure playground, but many youngsters will find the main displays compelling, the preserved hangers, control towers and operations rooms have something of an atmosphere they must have had when it was a working base. The site covers about a mile; a bus can take you between the different bits. Each year they have several dramatic air shows, and some planes still actually fly on other days. A free bus runs every hour from and to Cambridge station, it takes about 20 minutes. Children can go in free, and it costs adults £7.70, the number to call to book or buy tickets is 01223 835000."