Oshkosh Museum and area

Weekend Warrior

Weekend Warrior

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Mr Madman
We are looking for something to do for the weekend of 9/14 - 9/15 in the great lakes/Midwest area. We've done (several times, actually) most of the area fly-in destinations in the past (Mackinac Island, Gilbert Island, Beaver Island, Fox Island, Put-In Bay, Cleveland R&R HoF, Dayton Air Force Museum, Niagara Falls, Air Zoo, etc) and we are looking for something new.
We did the Oshkosh airshow, getting there by car, many years ago, but we've never tried the museum.
Is the museum worth the trip? Do you have to be an EAA member to enter? If we spend the weekend in Oshkosh, is there much to do otherwise?
 
Other than watching the airshow, and wandering thru all the airplanes, almost everything you do during the show is there year ‘round. Yes, the museum is worth it. Dinner at Fratell’s without the 3 hr wait. Drive up to Appleton for the Harry Houdini museum. Go a bit further up the road and get the insider tour of the Green Bay Packer’s stadium. Assuming it’s an away game. If home game, you won’t find a hotel room for 100 miles. Packer fans are more die hard than all Osh fans put together.
 
It's 12.50 admission for an adult and well worth it, there are a lot of really unique aircraft in that museum. Lots of places to eat within an easy walk of the airfield. Sounds like a great day trip to me.
 
Weekend Warrior said:
We are looking for something to do for the weekend of 9/14 - 9/15 in the great lakes/Midwest area. We've done (several times, actually) most of the area fly-in destinations in the past (Mackinac Island, Gilbert Island, Beaver Island, Fox Island, Put-In Bay, Cleveland R&R HoF, Dayton Air Force Museum, Niagara Falls, Air Zoo, etc) and we are looking for something new.
We did the Oshkosh airshow, getting there by car, many years ago, but we've never tried the museum.
Is the museum worth the trip? Do you have to be an EAA member to enter? If we spend the weekend in Oshkosh, is there much to do otherwise?
Click to expand...

The museum is definitely worth the trip. Warning: It's a lot bigger than it looks at first glance. The main area you go into first has lots of airplanes and such, and you could spend the better part of a day just in there... But if you keep going to the opposite corner, you can find your way into another whole hangar. And if you keep poking around you'll find the nose art gallery and the upstairs educational area and other off-the-beaten-path parts that are neat too. I could easily spend more than a full day and possibly two days checking it all out. Being relatively local, I don't have to, I can just keep going back!

You don't have to be an EAA member to get in, but if you are an EAA member you get in for free.

I'm sure there are other things to do there, but that's not really my stomping grounds so I can't be much more help than Google would be.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The museum is definitely worth the trip. Warning: It's a lot bigger than it looks at first glance. The main area you go into first has lots of airplanes and such, and you could spend the better part of a day just in there... But if you keep going to the opposite corner, you can find your way into another whole hangar. And if you keep poking around you'll find the nose art gallery and the upstairs educational area and other off-the-beaten-path parts that are neat too. I could easily spend more than a full day and possibly two days checking it all out. Being relatively local, I don't have to, I can just keep going back!

You don't have to be an EAA member to get in, but if you are an EAA member you get in for free.

I'm sure there are other things to do there, but that's not really my stomping grounds so I can't be much more help than Google would be.
Click to expand...

When does Pioneer Airport shut down for the season?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Probably on condition. They use it for a skiplane fly-in in January...
Click to expand...

I've only been there in summer, but always thought the walk out back from the museum to those hangars was well worth the time. Thought worth a mention to the OP.
 
If I were you and thinking about the EAA Museum, I would research their web site for more details. Prices, hours and photos are all there.
The EAA Museum is mostly about planes and displays concerning sport flying, homebuilts, antiques and warbirds. If you're a long time EAA member most of the planes will be familiar, if not, some won't mean so much, but they're still informative.
Whereas the NASM in DC has important history of aviation on display and the NMUSAF in Dayton is all about the history of the Air Force.
I haven't been there in some years but there's the XP-51, a Mosquito and other nice warbirds on display. The museum is top notch and the antique airfield out back is interesting too.
There are biplane rides and EAA Young Eagles rides at the Antique airfield on weekends, weather permitting.
I believe the only time the Antique airfield is used as a ski plane fly-in is once in January, which used to Audrey's birthday too.

https://www.eaa.org/eaa-museum
 
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