Cradle of Aviation Museum

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Cradle of Aviation Museum Long Island's Air & Space Museum Experience over 75 air and space craft in 8 galleries. And Parking did we mention parking is FREE?
(1491)

See a show in our all-digital JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium or take in a film in our National Geographic Dome Theater.

, October 21, 1928, 17-year-old Elinor Smith of Freeport took off from Curtiss Field in Valley Stream and flew her Waco...
10/21/2026

, October 21, 1928, 17-year-old Elinor Smith of Freeport took off from Curtiss Field in Valley Stream and flew her Waco biplane beneath all four of New York City's East River bridges.

This was no last-minute decision. Smith had studied the bridges, their structures, and the river traffic along her route. Even with that preparation, she had to navigate around ships as she flew beneath the Queensboro, Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn bridges
Her unauthorized flight made national headlines and resulted in a temporary grounding. To this day, she remains the only pilot known to have flown beneath all four bridges.

Visit our Golden Age Gallery to see Smith's original flight suit and a Wheaties cereal box featuring her.

Have you experienced the Catholic Health Sky Theater at the Cradle of Aviation Museum?Our full-dome theater and planeta...
10/21/2026

Have you experienced the Catholic Health Sky Theater at the Cradle of Aviation Museum?

Our full-dome theater and planetarium are one of the many experiences visitors can enjoy at the Museum.

We're nominated for Best Movie Theater, Best Museum, and four additional categories in the FourLeaf Federal Credit Union Best of Long Island 2027 awards.

We'd appreciate your vote! You can vote in every category, every day through December 15.

🗳️ Vote: https://www.cradleofaviation.org/support/best-of-long-island.html

Halloween is ready for liftoff! Our kids’ NASA flight suits and colorful NASA hats are perfect for future astronauts thi...
10/19/2026

Halloween is ready for liftoff!

Our kids’ NASA flight suits and colorful NASA hats are perfect for future astronauts this Halloween—and for plenty of adventures after.

Shop in store or online: https://store.cradleofaviation.org/

Every purchase supports the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s education and preservation programs.

Roosevelt Field During World War IITake a closer look at this photograph from our collection. Notice the young boy ridin...
10/18/2026

Roosevelt Field During World War II

Take a closer look at this photograph from our collection. Notice the young boy riding his bicycle past the aircraft. And the letter F on the hangar?

Hangar F at Roosevelt Field is where pioneering aviator and artist Aline Rhonie painted her famous mural, The Pre-Lindbergh Era of American Aviation, depicting early aviation history from 1909 to 1927. Today, that mural is on display at the Museum.

By 1943, Roosevelt Field had become a U.S. Navy facility preparing American-built aircraft for the British Royal Navy, including Grumman Wildcats built nearby in Bethpage.

You can also see a Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat in our World War II Gallery.

Looking for your next aviation read? Fighting the Night: Iwo Jima, World War II, and a Flyer’s Life by Paul Hendrickson ...
10/17/2026

Looking for your next aviation read?

Fighting the Night: Iwo Jima, World War II, and a Flyer’s Life by Paul Hendrickson tells the story of his father, a World War II night fighter pilot, and his experiences in the Pacific.

Available in the Museum Store and online.

Every purchase supports the Museum’s education and preservation programs.

https://store.cradleofaviation.org/collections/books-and-prints

– October 16, 1921105 years ago today, the Aero Club of America held its Flying Festival at Curtiss Field in Garden Ci...
10/16/2026

– October 16, 1921

105 years ago today, the Aero Club of America held its Flying Festival at Curtiss Field in Garden City, Long Island. (near the site of today’s Roosevelt Field Mall)

The event featured early sport planes, including American-designed aircraft from Sperry, Mummert and Ace, alongside a French Farman.

One of the smallest was the Mummert Cootie, a tiny biplane with a wingspan of just 15 feet!

And here's something you may not know: Pilot Bert Acosta reportedly flew the Cootie in his stockinged feet to avoid adding unnecessary weight to the aircraft!

More than a lunch bag.Our F-14 cooler has plenty of room for lunch, plus work essentials, a tablet or books. It’s insula...
10/16/2026

More than a lunch bag.

Our F-14 cooler has plenty of room for lunch, plus work essentials, a tablet or books. It’s insulated and can be worn over the shoulder or across the body.

Available in the Museum Store and online
https://store.cradleofaviation.org/products/f-14-tomcat-lunchbox

Every purchase supports the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s education and preservation programs.

Have you voted for your Long Island favorites today? The Museum is nominated again for Best Museum, along with five othe...
10/15/2026

Have you voted for your Long Island favorites today?

The Museum is nominated again for Best Museum, along with five other categories, in the FourLeaf Federal Credit Union f Federal Credit Union Best of Long Island FourLeaf Federal Credit UnionFourLeaf Federal Credit Union Best of Long Island 2027 awards!

You can vote in all six categories every day through December 15.

Thank you for your continued support!

🗳️ Vote here: https://www.cradleofaviation.org/support/best-of-long-island.html

October is Italian American Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating Long Island’s own Mike Massimino, a former NASA astron...
10/13/2026

October is Italian American Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating Long Island’s own Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut.

Born in Oceanside and raised in Franklin Square, Mike graduated from H. Frank Carey High School before going on to become a NASA astronaut.

He flew on two Space Shuttle missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope and completed four spacewalks.

In 2018, we were proud to induct Mike into the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday to the United States Navy! Founded on October 13, 1775, the U.S. Navy celebrates 251 years of service tod...
10/13/2026

Happy Birthday to the United States Navy!

Founded on October 13, 1775, the U.S. Navy celebrates 251 years of service today.

We honor the men and women, past and present, who have served our country in the United States Navy.

Address

Charles Lindbergh Boulevard
Garden City, NY
11530

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+15165724111

Website

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