The Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest non-government-funded aviation and space museums in the world. It’s located in Tucson, Arizona, near the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, transport, tours, accessibility, and practical tips for planning your visit.
Last updated: June 2026. This guide is based on the official Pima Air & Space Museum website, last updated 30 April 2026. The bus tours to the Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard (309th AMARG) have permanently ended due to changes in US Air Force security requirements. Many third-party guides still list this as a bookable tour — it is not available and will not return.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 6000 E Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 |
| Regular hours (Oct–May) | Daily 9:00am–5:00pm; last admission 3:00pm |
| Summer hours (Jun–Sep) | Daily 9:00am–3:00pm; last admission 1:30pm |
| Closed | Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day |
| Adult admission (1 day) | $22.50 |
| Parking | Free on-site |
| Nearest airport | Tucson International Airport (TUS), 5.5 miles |
| Typical visit length | 3–5 hours; a full day is possible |
Pima Air & Space Museum opening hours
The museum is open daily, with two seasonal schedules. From October through May, hours are 9:00am–5:00pm with last admission at 3:00pm. From June through September, hours shorten to 9:00am–3:00pm with last admission at 1:30pm. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day only.
The summer last-admission time of 1:30pm is much earlier than visitors accustomed to extended summer hours might expect. Plan to arrive by midday at the latest in summer to allow adequate time.
Five great things to do in Tucson
- 🌮 Taste authentic South-Western flavours – on a Tucson food tour.
- 🐎 Go cowboy on a 90 minute horseback ride – through Coronado National Forest and Catalina State Park.
- 🧗 Get adventurous – on a half-day canyoneering tour.
- 🎨 On a murals walking tour – discover Tucson’s incredible street art scene.
- 🎈 Float above the desert – on a morning hot air balloon ride, with bubbly and breakfast.
Pima Air & Space Museum ticket prices
| Ticket type | 1-day | 2-day |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (13+) | $22.50 | $29.00 |
| Military / veteran | $20.50 | $27.00 |
| Senior (65+) | $19.75 | $25.75 |
| Pima County resident | $18.25 | $23.25 |
| Junior (5–12) | $16.00 | $18.50 |
| Child (0–4) | Free | Free |
2-day tickets do not need to be used on consecutive days but must be redeemed within 30 days of purchase.
A combo ticket covering both Pima Air & Space Museum and the adjacent Tucson Military Vehicle Museum (which opened March 2025) is also available: adults $37.00, military/veterans $33.50, seniors $31.50, Pima County residents $28.50, juniors $26.00, children under 5 free.
Advance tickets are not sold online unless you are booking a private tour or a group of 10 or more. All general admission tickets are purchased at the gate on the day of your visit.
Bank of America “Museums on Us”: Active Bank of America, Merrill, or Private Bank credit/debit cardholders receive one free general admission ticket on the first full weekend of each month, with photo ID. This applies to the cardholder only and does not cover combo tickets or the Tucson Military Vehicle Museum.
The Pima Air & Space Museum is not included in any city pass scheme for Tucson. Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in June 2026.
How to get to the Pima Air & Space Museum
By car: From I-10, take exit 267 (Valencia Road) and head east for 2 miles to the museum entrance. From northeast Tucson, take Kolb Road south to Valencia Road, then turn west to the entrance.
By air: Tucson International Airport (TUS) is 5.5 miles from the museum. There is no direct public transit connection — a taxi, rideshare, or rental car is the practical option from the airport.
By public transit: Sun Tran bus route 11 (Valencia) serves the area, but the stop is not immediately adjacent to the museum. Check the Sun Tran trip planner for current routing before relying on this option.
Parking at the Pima Air & Space Museum
Parking is free and on-site. The lot is large and suited to cars, RVs, and motorcoaches. Accessible (handicap permit required) spaces are located near the museum entrance.
How long to spend at the Pima Air & Space Museum
Allow a minimum of 3 hours; a full day is needed to see everything. The collection spans six indoor hangars and 80 acres of outdoor display space with over 400 aircraft. Most visitors who include a tram tour, a simulator session, and lunch find 4–5 hours passes quickly. If visiting in summer, factor in heat management for the outdoor sections.
Accessibility at the Pima Air & Space Museum
All museum buildings are accessible, with poured-concrete floors throughout. A paved walkway connects the Main Hangar and Hangars 3, 4, and 5. The remainder of the outdoor display area is generally hard-packed dirt, which may be challenging for some wheelchair and mobility aid users.
Accessible parking spaces are available near the entrance (handicap permit required). Wheelchair-accessible trams are available on the public tram tour — request one at the time of ticket purchase. The museum does not rent or loan wheelchairs or motorised scooters; visitors who need these should bring their own.
No bags are permitted beyond small purses, camera bags, and nappy bags. No outside food or drink is permitted inside the museum. The Flight Grill café is on site.
Leashed pets are welcome on the museum grounds but are not permitted on the tram tour (service animals excepted).
What to see at the Pima Air & Space Museum
Indoor hangars
Hangar 1 / Main Hangar combines three spaces (Hangar 1, Spirit of Freedom, and Flight Central) into the museum’s largest indoor exhibit area. Highlights include the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-4 Phantom II, a Wright Flyer replica, and the world’s smallest biplane, the Bumblebee. The Cold War collection and nuclear weapons context are covered here.
Hangars 3, 4, and 5 are dedicated to World War II aviation. Collectively they house aircraft including the B-29 Superfortress, PBY Catalina, P-51 Mustang, B-24 Liberator, and a Japanese Ki-43 Hayabusa. A kamikaze display (Ohka) is also included.
Dorothy Finley Aerospace Gallery covers the history of space exploration, including a Mercury capsule, Apollo Command Module, Space Shuttle trainer, and X-15 rocket plane. The Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame is housed in the same building.
390th Memorial Museum is a separate museum within the grounds — included in general admission — dedicated to the 390th Bombardment Group, which flew B-17 Flying Fortresses in WWII over Europe.
Outdoor display grounds
The 80-acre outdoor area holds over 200 additional aircraft, including large bombers and airliners that cannot be displayed indoors. Notable aircraft outside include the B-36 Peacemaker, B-52 Stratofortress, B-58 Hustler, a Boeing 747, and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The outdoor collection is best experienced on the tram tour, which covers a 1.5-mile circuit.
Tours and add-ons
Public Tram Tour — $10 per person with admission. A 45-minute narrated circuit of the outdoor collection, covering over 200 aircraft. Times vary daily; check at the admissions desk on arrival. Tickets are sold at the tram boarding area in front of the Aerospace Gallery on a first-come, first-served basis, card only, and cannot be booked in advance.
Audio Tour — $5 per device. Covers significant indoor aircraft with narration by museum staff. Available daily based on device availability; cannot be reserved.
Private Walking Tours — $75 per group plus admission. Four themed options: Aviation Highlights, WWII, Cold War, or Walk of Fame. Each lasts 45 minutes. Reservations required at least 5 days in advance.
Flight Simulators — $10 for 10 minutes. Three simulators available: Cessna 172 Skyhawk, A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog), and F-5E (T-38 Talon). Available on Saturdays and Sundays only (10:00am–3:00pm regular season; 10:00am–2:00pm summer). Tickets sold at the tram booth, card only, on the day.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| In summer, arrive early | Last admission is 1:30pm June through September. Arrive by 9:00am to maximise your time and explore outdoor areas before afternoon heat peaks. |
| The Boneyard tour no longer exists | Bus tours to the Davis-Monthan AFB AMARG facility have permanently ended. The museum cannot arrange access; do not arrive expecting to book one. |
| Buy tram tickets before exploring hangars | Tram tour tickets sell out on busy days. Go to the tram boarding area at Building 7 first to secure your place, then explore indoors while you wait for your tour time. |
| No bags, no outside food | Only small purses, camera bags, and nappy bags are permitted. The Flight Grill café is available on site for food and drink. |
| Bring sun protection for the outdoors | The outdoor display area is exposed desert with little shade. Sunscreen, a hat, and water are essential, particularly between April and October. |
Frequently asked questions about the Pima Air & Space Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Pima Air & Space Museum suitable for children? | Yes. Children under 5 enter free. The scale of the aircraft is engaging for all ages, and flight simulators are available on weekends. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No, unless you are in a group of 10 or more or booking a private tour. All general admission is purchased at the gate. |
| Is the Pima Air & Space Museum open on Sundays? | Yes, open every day including Sundays (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). |
| Can you still take the Boneyard tour from Pima? | No. The bus tours to Davis-Monthan AFB (309th AMARG) have permanently ended and will not return. |
| Are dogs allowed at the Pima Air & Space Museum? | Leashed dogs are welcome on the museum grounds but are not permitted on the tram tour. Service animals are exempt from the tram restriction. |
Things to do near the Pima Air & Space Museum
- Tucson Military Vehicle Museum (adjacent, same site) — Opened March 2025, this separate museum on the same grounds displays over 60 military vehicles including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and WWII-era vehicles. A combo ticket with Pima covers both museums.
- 390th Memorial Museum (on-site, included in admission) — Dedicated to the 390th Bombardment Group’s B-17 operations over Europe in WWII, staffed by volunteers, with associated memorabilia and displays.
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (~25 minutes west) — A combined zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum set in the Sonoran Desert, adjacent to Saguaro National Park West. One of Tucson’s most-visited attractions.
- Mission San Xavier del Bac (~20 minutes west) — An active 18th-century Spanish colonial mission church, free to visit, on the Tohono O’odham reservation south-west of Tucson.
- Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District (~20 minutes east) — The eastern unit of the park, with scenic drives, hiking trails, and dense saguaro cactus forests. Entry fee applies; America the Beautiful pass accepted.
What to visit tomorrow: similar aviation and aerospace museums
- Titan Missile Museum, Sahuarita (~30 minutes south) — The only preserved Titan II ICBM launch site open to the public, offering guided underground tours of a Cold War-era nuclear missile facility. Advance booking strongly recommended.
- Commemorative Air Force Museum (CAF), Mesa (~2 hours north) — A large collection of restored WWII aircraft operated by the Commemorative Air Force at Falcon Field, with several aircraft in flying condition. Open for tours and occasional airshows.
- Williams Gateway / Hance Collection, Mesa (~2 hours north) — Various aviation heritage displays at the former Williams Air Force Base, now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
- White Sands Missile Range Museum, White Sands, NM (~5 hours) — A free outdoor and indoor museum on the history of US missile and rocketry testing, including German V-2 rockets and captured Soviet equipment. Free entry; ID required for access to the base.
More Arizona travel
Other Arizona travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to Flandrau Science Center, Reid Park Zoo and the San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson.
- Road trips from Tucson: Where to stop on the Tucson to Tombstone drive.
- Visiting Colossal Cave Mountain Park near Tucson: Hours, prices and visitor tips.
- How to get the best out of Hole in the Rock, Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix’s Papago Park.
- What to know before visiting Coronado National Memorial in southern Arizona.
