The Museum of Flight is the largest private air and space museum in the world, located on East Marginal Way South in Seattle — directly on the Boeing Field flight line — with over 175 aircraft and spacecraft across 175,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibition space.
This guide was updated in June 2026. The full adult price is $29 (tax included); many older guides and aggregators still list figures of $22 to $27. Book on Viator to confirm your visit.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 9404 East Marginal Way South, Seattle, Washington 98108 |
| Hours | Daily 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Closed | Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day |
| Adult (18+) | $29 (tax included) |
| Senior (65+) | $25 (tax included) |
| Youth (5–17) | $21 (tax included) |
| Child (0–4) | Free |
| Free First Thursday | Free admission 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, first Thursday of each month |
| Parking | Free, on-site |
| Nearest transit | King County Metro Route 124 (East Marginal Way stop) |
| Typical visit | 3–5 hours |
Opening hours
The museum is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, 363 days a year. The only closures are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Free First Thursday runs from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the first Thursday of every month. The museum stays open four hours later than usual and admission is entirely free.
Sunset Special: Monday through Friday between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, all ticket prices are 50% off. In-person only — mention it at the admissions desk. Cannot be combined with other offers.
Five of the best things to do in Seattle
- 🍴 Take a chef-guided food tour of Pike Place Market.
- 🕳️ Discover the hidden streets beneath Pioneer Square on an underground tour.
- ✈️ Go on the Boeing Factory tour and see how planes are made.
- 🚢 See the city from the water on a harbour cruise.
- 🏔️ Take in mountains and waterfalls on a Mt Rainier National Park day trip.
Ticket prices
All prices include tax. Tickets can be purchased at the admissions desk or online. The Seattle CityPASS C3 scheme covers this museum as one of three selectable attractions.
| Ticket type | Full price |
|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | $29 |
| Senior (65+) | $25 |
| Youth (5–17) | $21 |
| Child (0–4) | Free |
| Museum Member | Free |
Sunset Special (Mon–Fri, 3–5 PM): 50% off all tiers at the admissions desk. No booking required.
Return Visit: Revisit within seven days and pay $12 adult / $10 senior or youth at the desk. Present your original receipt. In-person only.
Selected partner discounts (all in-person unless stated):
| Programme | Adult price |
|---|---|
| AAA Members (+ 1 adult, up to 4 youth) | $26 |
| Active Military & Veterans (+ 1 adult, up to 4 youth) | $26 |
| Boeing Employees (+ up to 6 guests) | $26 |
| BECU Cardholders (+ 1 adult, up to 6 youth) | $26 |
| Port of Seattle / Airline Employees | $26 |
| Microsoft Passport (adult/senior) | $12 |
| Bank of America Museums on Us® | Free for cardholder only (first full Sat/Sun of each month) |
| ASTC Travel Passport | Free for 2 adults + up to 4 youth |
Active military and their families receive free admission from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day via the Blue Star Museums programme.
Book on Viator for advance booking.
Why visit the Museum of Flight?
- ✈️ The largest private air and space museum in the world: Over 175 aircraft and spacecraft — from the first Boeing prototype to a British Airways Concorde and a presidential Air Force One — all in one site on the Boeing Field flight line.
- 🚀 Real artefacts from the Space Race: Original Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo hardware sits alongside a full Space Shuttle trainer, an Apollo 17 Command Module, and Mission Control exhibits.
- 💰 50% off every weekday afternoon: The Sunset Special slashes all ticket prices in half from 3:00–5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Just say the words at the admissions desk — no booking or voucher required.
- 🆓 Free First Thursday evenings: On the first Thursday of every month, the museum is free from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM — one of Seattle’s best free cultural events and rarely mentioned in visitor guides.
- 🏭 The original Boeing factory, on-site: The 1909 Boeing Red Barn, where Bill Boeing built his first aircraft, was relocated to the museum site and fully restored as a walk-through exhibit.
How to get there
By car: The museum is directly on East Marginal Way South, immediately south of the Boeing Field runway threshold. From downtown Seattle, take I-5 south to Exit 158 (Swift Ave South) and follow the signs. The museum is approximately 8 miles south of downtown.
By public transport: King County Metro Route 124 stops directly outside the museum on East Marginal Way South. From downtown Seattle’s Third Avenue corridor, the journey takes around 25–30 minutes.
By Link Light Rail: The closest Link station is SODO station, from where Route 124 connects southbound, or a taxi or rideshare takes approximately 5 minutes.
Why book a Seattle CityPASS?
- 🗼 Space Needle included: Enjoy timed entry to Seattle’s most recognisable landmark, with panoramic views over Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier on clear days.
- 🐠 Seattle Aquarium admission: Get up close to local marine life, including sea otters, harbour seals and colourful tide-pool species.
- 🎨 Choose three more attractions: Pick from favourites such as Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture, Argosy Cruises harbour tour, Woodland Park Zoo or Pacific Science Center.
- 📱 Mobile pass with flexible sightseeing: Your CityPASS is delivered digitally and stays valid for nine consecutive days once activated.
- 💰 Save on entry fees: Bundled pricing offers significant savings compared with buying tickets separately, making it ideal for first-time visitors.
Parking
Parking is entirely free in the Museum of Flight’s large on-site car park. No time limit or validation is required. On busy event days the car park fills early — arriving before 11:00 AM on peak weekend days is advisable.
How long to spend
Three to five hours is the realistic range for a first visit. The museum covers multiple distinct halls, two outdoor pavilions, the Red Barn, and a live restoration gallery. Aviation enthusiasts regularly fill a full day. A return visit within seven days costs only $12 for an adult.
Accessibility
The museum is fully wheelchair-accessible throughout, with lifts between levels and accessible paths through the outdoor pavilions. Free accessible parking is close to the main entrance. The Connections Boarding Pass programme supports visitors with disabilities, carers, and low-income families — see the official website for eligibility. All restrooms are accessible. Outdoor pavilion areas are level and smooth-surfaced.
What to see at the Museum of Flight
The Great Gallery is the museum’s centrepiece — a vast glass and steel structure with over two dozen aircraft suspended overhead, including an SR-71 Blackbird. The scale is immediately striking.
The Personal Courage Wing presents WWI and WWII fighters in immersive, theatre-style settings. Original Spitfires, Zeros, P-51 Mustangs, and Me 109s are displayed at eye level alongside personal stories from their pilots.
The Space Gallery holds original NASA artefacts including the Apollo 17 Command Module, a Lunar Roving Vehicle trainer, and a full-scale Space Shuttle cockpit trainer.
The Presidential Jet Pavilion houses Boeing VC-137C SAM 970 — the Air Force One jet that served Presidents Eisenhower through Clinton, and on which Lyndon Johnson was sworn in after Kennedy’s assassination. Included in standard admission.
The Concorde on the outdoor flight line is one of only 20 ever built. Walking through the narrow cabin gives a vivid sense of supersonic transatlantic travel.
The Boeing Red Barn is the 1909 timber-frame original Boeing factory, relocated to the site and restored to working condition. It is where the first Boeing seaplane was built.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Free First Thursday is genuinely free | The entire museum is free from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the first Thursday of every month. No registration required. |
| Allow time for the outdoor pavilion | The Air Force One jet and Concorde require a separate walk outside. Dress for Seattle weather — the outdoor sections are uncovered. |
| Check the flight line | The museum sits adjacent to Boeing Field, an active airport. Aircraft taking off and landing throughout the day are visible from the grounds. |
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is parking free? | Yes — the Museum of Flight has a large free car park for all visitors. |
| What is the First Thursday programme? | On the first Thursday of every month, the entire museum is free from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. No registration needed. |
| Can I visit twice for less? | Yes — a return within seven days costs $12 adult (or $10 senior/youth) with your original receipt. Book on Viator for your first visit. |
| Is the outdoor pavilion included in admission? | Yes — the Presidential Jet Pavilion and Concorde require no separate ticket. |
Things to do nearby
Boeing Field (King County International Airport) is immediately adjacent — the flight line is visible from the museum grounds and aircraft movements are a free bonus to any visit.
SoDo and Georgetown neighbourhoods are a short drive or bus ride north, with craft breweries, murals, and Seattle’s most active creative industrial district. Georgetown’s Saturday market is particularly good.
The Columbia Center Sky View Observatory is in downtown Seattle, approximately 15 minutes by car — the highest public observation deck in the Pacific Northwest.
Pike Place Market is 20 minutes north by car or bus — Seattle’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market, with fish throwing, flower stalls, and the original Starbucks.
The Seattle Waterfront and Aquarium are accessible from downtown in the same trip as Pike Place, with ferry connections to Bainbridge Island from Colman Dock.
What to visit tomorrow
Aviation and aerospace museums within two hours of Seattle are limited but excellent.
Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Centre and Factory Tour, Mukilteo (~30 min north by car): The only public tour of a commercial aircraft assembly line in North America, watching Boeing 747, 767, 777, and 787 jets being built inside the world’s largest building by volume. Book well in advance — tours sell out weeks ahead.
Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, Everett (~30 min north by car): The late Paul Allen’s collection of WWI and WWII aircraft and armour, all restored to flying condition. Smaller but tightly focused — every aircraft can fly. Located at Paine Field, adjacent to the Boeing Future of Flight centre.
McChord Air Museum, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (~40 min south by car): A military aviation museum covering C-141 Starlifters and C-17 Globemasters among other aircraft. Base access requirements apply — confirm ID and vehicle requirements before visiting.
Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle (~20 min north by car or transit): Not an aviation museum, but Seattle’s principal history museum covers Boeing’s foundational role in the city’s economy in substantial depth — a natural complement for visitors interested in the aerospace heritage story more broadly.
Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Oregon (~3 hrs south by car): A remarkable collection of WWII aircraft inside the world’s largest wooden structure — a former Navy blimp hangar.
More Seattle travel
Other Seattle travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- A practical guide to visiting the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle.
- Watch the salmon run at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.
- How to get the best view of Seattle from Kerry Park.
- How to see the Fremont Troll in Seattle.
- Seattle attraction guides: Plan your visit to the Pacific Science Center and Smith Tower Observatory.
