Once again, the courtesy at the air zoo can't be beat. We went with a medium sized homeschool group, and everyone was very kind and helpful and pleasant. I love how knowledgeable the staff was and how accommodating people were when we had a variety of ages of children. We always love coming to the zoo and I can rest easy that the staff is always very helpful and accommodating. My only criticism would be that we have some significant in anaphylactic allergens and the staff at Kitty Hawk Café didn't seem to be very knowledgeable about allergens and cross contamination, so we didn't feel safe at all getting any food there. I highly recommend bringing a cooler and leaving it in your car if you have allergies. read more

See all

Lots of interactive areas for kids! We spent about 3 hours here but could have easily spent the whole day. The place closed before we were able to explore the back building. Large parking lot and friendly staff when purchasing tickets. Right away the kids gravitated toward the rides. Although there were lots of planes to view they had a lot of great interactive areas for the kids to explore relating to extreme sports, airplane simulators, rides, model ships, women during the war. Lots of great exhibits! The cafe overlooks the area also seemed to have great prices and selection although it was closed so we did not get to try. read more

See all

We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the Air Zoo! The Air Zoo is a museum of old planes and aircrafts with a focus on history and technology. We went on a snowy day and were among a handful of guests. The museum is huge - two buildings of beautifully restored historic aircraft, stories and rides. The staff were friendly, engaging and knowledgeable. Russ treated us to a personal tour and was interesting and humorous. We spent five hours exploring, learning and having fun, learning about aircraft that shaped the world. We visited the museum plus the discovery center, where an aircraft was being restored. We climbed into cockpits that transported us back in history. There is so much to see.... We had lunch in the cafe, which was filling and good. The gift shop is filled with STEM inspired puzzles, books and toys. I bought several gifts for the kids. I highly recommend a visit and membership. This is the best aviation museum I've visited. There is plenty of parking including handicapped parking. The museum and restrooms are immaculate. read more

See all

Lots to look at. Plan on 3 -4 hours for both buildings. Would go again. There's a library with hundred of air related books for all ages. read more

Went to their countdown to noon and it was an amazing experience! With 5,000 balloons at the ready to drop everyone danced to the music that played as we explored planes, rode rides, and saw the various super hero's posed in their heroic stances. I'd never gone to the countdown before but it is a fun experience that left everyone with big smiles on their faces! I cannot wait to experience this again, but while that has to wait until next year, the various things to do in the air zoo are very educational and worth the visit anytime! read more

See all

I have been to Kalamazoo many times and saw the signs for the Air Zoo. I am happy that I finally came for a visit, this place is a aviation museum and history of planes. We spent three hours and honestly we could have spent another three. Make sure to visit both buildings and see the restoration center. This is where they are restoring aircraft. Well worth the visit! read more

Air Zoo - Welcome - Museums Near Me - Portage, Michigan

See all

It's easy to find and has ample parking. The admission was $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. We went on a Friday morning and it wasn't too busy. There was a lot of kids and screaming from the kid themed rides. The planes are spread out so that you can see them pretty good. They are organized by category and all have a brief description talking about the plane details: year, speed, height, dimensions, etc. Some of the planes had more detail. They have the only dual cockpit blackbird on display. It's also set up to really admire and has a platform to climb up to see the cockpits. We saw a single cockpit blackbird in Salt Lake but it was in a corner with other planes blocking the view. This was much better. In the main room, they also have free flight simulators to try. They also have a space area with some pretty cool items to check out. The admission ticket gives you access to the old museum where they restore planes (not necessarily to be on display at this museum but all over the country). The site has a cafe which we did not try and a large gift shop with some pretty unique gift items (not all were plane or space related, some items were related to history and/or science). I lived in Kalamazoo most my life and never took advantage of coming here but I'm glad I finally did. It's totally worth the price of admission. read more

See all

My husband loves planes and history, so the Air Zoo is definitely a museum we love coming to. We have only been a few times and it hasn't changed much in between visits, but all the planes and various mission theater shows keep us coming back. When we came in there was no line for tickets, so we only spent a few minutes at the front desk. All employees we spoke with were friendly including the man we got our tickets from. There are multiple buildings with different planes and often there are restorations being done on at least one plane. Guided tours are available for groups if your group prefers an organized way to make sure you learn as much as possible about everything. They do have some rides that are kid focused so we have never ridden them. With kids in mind, they do have a play type room near the men's bathroom. They have a cafe (Kitty Hawk Cafe) and there is a food cart that looks to have some basic snacks near the rides for kids. There is also a gift shop (Fly Buy Museum Store) with books, toys, dolls, and a few other Knick knacks type items all related to what is displayed in the Air Zoo. Bathroom was clean when I used it and other than the play room everything was organized/clean as expected. The bathroom I went in was on the main building with multiple stalls but the handicap stall had an out of order sign on it. Gender-neutral, single-stall restrooms are available in the Space Wing of the Flight Innovation Center if a gender-neutral bathroom is needed. My favorite area was focused on Amelia Earhart in the "women in air and space" focused area. I loved learning about "the riveting real Rosie's of WWII" in the same area. Every turn I made it felt like I was learning something new despite visiting in the past. Besides planes, they also have some motorcycles, uniforms in display boxes, and weapons that were used in WWII. If you love history and/or planes, the Air Zoo is a must visit at least once. read more

See all

Well my friend all of a sudden invited me to this aircraft museum it was nice. It was in Kalamazoo Michigan. It's actually two buildings we're in the main building but I have to brave the cold since we're here in the winter. It was kind of like an amusement park too since they had kid rides and was very child friendly then just aviation alone after all they had a Canon from world war 1 in which I learned that takes five people to load the projectile and of course they cover a Ford model car and a BMW motorcycle since I'm also into motorcycles. I would like to give it four stars but it didn't seem that big of an exhibit that you would spend long hours of learning and enjoyment. They do cover beyond aeronautics with space and the early days of being an astronaut in the capsules like Apollo before astronauts had tofly an aircraft shuttle like the Challenger. Otherwise for $18 admission I guess that's not bad but I can't really give it four stars I expected more in the exhibit read more

See all

This museum is amazing! I come from the backyard of EAA, and I'm impressed with Air Zoo! There's so much to see. The staff is amazing! I stop here every year during my visit to MIS for the NASCAR race. Highly recommend! read more

See all

I never been here before and I had so much fun the first thing I did was the hot air balloon ride and it was just like the cliff hanger ride at a fair ground and second ride was the small air plane and third ride was where it takes you up and then you it bounce you back down and then I look around here and went to different exhibits and then I did the Flight Simulator the yellow one when it was done and I got out of it I was a little dizzy read more

Good collection of aircraft. Beautiful facility right next to airport, so you can even fly in. Rare Hispano made Bf-109 that appeared in "The Battle of Britain" movie. Rare one of a kind Curtiss Accender aircraft. F-14 Tomcat is decked out as VF-84 version in a gallery with an A-4 and F-8 from the Vietnam era and a F-18. The SR-71 Blackbird is a real treat. However, my favorite is the back gallery featuring the WW2 era Navy aircraft. Hellcat, Wildcat, Dauntless and Corsair share the space with trainers like the Stearman and a C-47 towing a D-Day Glider. Great educational exhibits and kid activities too. read more

See all

This place is a true jewel for any aviation enthusiast, even the most casual. The exhibits are outstanding. The amount of immersion added by the curators is effective. You almost feel as though you are there when they were operational. This may be smaller and not government funded, but is easily on par with top museums, even the Smithsonian or AF museum. The staff and docents are amazing. Their passion will infect anyone who comes through those doors. They will treat you like you are an old friend right away. Even more amazing is their education efforts for kids. they even have dedicated classrooms for education projects. And just when you think it can't get better, you wander into the restoration hangar. Definitely world class. The accessibility is outstanding and folks back there are happy to explain the amazing work they are doing. Bottom line: If you have a day you can play in Kalamazoo, this is THE place to spend it! read more

See all

Loved our visit more than we expected! They have two buildings, the original building and the new sparkly one. In the original building, you can see the aircrafts they are currently restoring and many different aircrafts. In the new building there are so many interactive exhibits and games for the whole family! They also have fantastic rides and experiences. We loved how they showcased woman and people of color more than many places. The contributions of women and people of color to the world of aviation has been remarkable and it was great to see that on full display. The staff was stellar!! Beyond helpful and so knowledgeable! I was amazed by the staff and volunteers. Morgan in the old building was working on restoration and was amazing at explaining the process to us. They also have 50% off admission for military which we always appreciate. We will visit again and bring family. read more

See all

This museum is has an incredible mixture of history, stories and fun. We have a lot to learn from the brave flyers, mechanics and the volunteers/ docents that give tours in the museum. Look at the WASP exhibit - learn how the WWII women flyers did and how the served! great variety, but no UFOs! Lol Also, Did you know that the Air Zoo is featured in the 2020 movie, called "Christmas Hero"? You'll get a cool inside tour of the museum. It's a small budget well-done film about a military veteran -actor Michael Welch - who volunteers there! read more

The place is very spacious. There are 2 buildings ful of air plans. We spent 2 hours in one building while we didn't get the chance to see the 2nd one. There are many simulators .we tried one that was more like video games.it was fun. David showd us around and explained the history of many airplanes. We are thankful to his hospitality and skills. It was a great experience an fun even for people who don't have particular interest in airplanes. read more

See all

We took our two boys (8 & 5) and enjoyed a few hours of exploring both museum sites. We opted for a membership for the year as they participate with ASTC and offer plenty of nationwide reciprocal benefits. Staff were friendly. The facility was clean. Rides were in working order. Gift shop was reasonably priced. We went during an open cockpit weekend so we got a few pictures in aircrafts. The exhibits varied and were informative. A personal favorite was an aircraft that was recovered from Lake Michigan which they are actively restoring. They had copies of letters from an eye witness account of the crash as well as a letter to the pilot's family notifying of his death. read more

Gosh, what can we say about The Air Zoo? Our family has been members of The Air Zoo for over 2 years now. The staff is knowledgeable and always willing to give educational information on each and every aircraft or exhibit. Our son had attended summer camps, spring break camps and Boy Scouts events. Each and every individual working with the kids is absolutely amazing and impactful to their education. We highly recommend having your children attend the camps at The Air Zoo! Our family rule is that we have to lean about 3 new aircrafts and two educational exhibit before we ride rides! There is so much to see and do! Also, don't forget the amazing gift shop. We do a lot of Christmas shopping there. The cafe Kitty Hawk has a wonderful selection of snack and meals while you visit. But our family highly recommends The Air Zoo membership. read more

See all

The place is amazing. With all of the old planes and rides combined in 1 building you probably wouldn´t even know there was a 2nd until you saw the shuttle. read more

My boys love to come to the Air Zoo! Lots of planes to see along with army vehicles, spacecraft, and history about flight. While you can't go in any of the planes you can get close enough to see inside most and read about what they were used for. My kids love the rides they have. There are 4 rides for children of all ages. There is also a kids room with some manipulative that change from time to time. read more

See all

Ooh boy where do we start...... What an amazing experience this was to see. My husband being military 20 years was blown away with how awesome this experience was. The three veterans at the front when you walk into the actual museum part were absolutely a joy to talk with. So much of a joy that we even took pictures with them. Pretty amazing how much they know about everything at the museum. They do a 50% off military discount which makes it super cheap and they do 15% off in the gift shop. What an amazing place for kids too. Tons of awesome rides, food, picnic areas just so beautiful there. I took sooooo many pictures but I don't want to spoil it for you all to see. Must see in person truly. read more

Air Zoo - Such amazing veterans - Museums Near Me - Portage, Michigan

Overpriced. For being a Portage local - this isn't a regular destination on anyones list. It's more of a once in every three years experience; on a rainy day. They have a lot to see; however, for the price it's a one time experience. If you're our wanting a large, clean, local museum vibe - but with a better bang for your buck - I would suggest the "Gilmore Car Museum". One ticket here, will get you a group of people there. read more

We had so much fun here. Husband wanted to come back for his birthday. We arrived shortly before lunch time, took a look around & ate lunch in their upstairs cafe. It's SUPER cool because the seating area is on a balcony that overlooks the main part of the museum. Cafe prices are decent, you get quite a bit of food. We rode the rides, enjoyed the children's play area (really good for younger kids) & looked at just about every exhibit & feature they had to offer. Ended up staying until they closed at 5! The separate building you get to take a little tram to, it's FULL of open cockpits that you can climb up into & look at all the buttons & stuff. Great photo opportunity too. The guides are also very informative & sweet. If you happen to have a Bridge/EBT card by the way, your admission per person is only $3. This is probably the biggest reason we had such a great time, & were willing to eat in the cafe too, because we knew we had very inexpensive admission. Highly highly recommend the Air Zoo. read more

See all

We traveled from IL to meet family at the Air Zoo on Saturday 11/13/21. This place is so much fun! There are rides for the kids & interactive exhibits along with so much history. You don't have to be a history buff or even an air craft fan to enjoy this place. Pricing was very reasonable. 4 and under are free and the weekend we were there, my brother in law got in for free because he's a veteran. Eat lunch at the Kitty Hawk Cafe, you won't be disappointed! We didn't even get through everything so plan on getting there when they open & enjoy exploring! read more

Fun museum, great displays, lots of activities for kids. Docent was great and provided tons of information and history. I've seen some whining about the cost....I think it runs about $15 a head....but... they have flight simulators, and the fully roll upside down simulators! One ride at the Smithsonian in a simulator will cost you that, our kids ran them 4 times. $15 is a very fair price for this experience. Kitty hawk Cafe on site food was fresh and good and reasonable...not overpriced as often occurs at museums. Not enough staff, however, to handle a big group and orders took a looong time to fill. Definitely worth a visit if in the area. Apparently in the summer they have open cockpit days where you can sit in the planes...if you are small enough...and I am definitely not small enough. I'd need a plane stretcher! Be sure to visit their 2nd building! Lots To see, touch and climb on! My favorite, the WWII glider. My dad flew these in the war, plus jumped out of perfectly good airplanes as a member of the 82nd Airborne...Although he talked about it, I had never seen one. I'm pretty sure Dad would have thought this was a pretty cool place. read more

we went to the air zoo because we had already been to the EAG several times. it's better than the EAG for a family with children on a budget. we went on st Patrick day. of course had to stop at McDonald's 1st 4 the classic shamrock shape. uh oh Dobrie amz McCall went in the air zoo ride that looks like a .... hot egg, is all I can think of. exploded everywhere. maybe not air zoo fault but they should posta sign or something read more

The Air Zoo is any plane lovers dream museum. It's the best one we've visited outside of the DC area. The highlight for my son is the rides, but now that he's getting a little older (9), he was actually into the history of the various planes. We enjoyed the space simulators and it was awesome seeing a Blackbird up close. There are lots of interactive spots throughout for the kids and adults. We happened to visit on a Saturday when they had STEAM day. We enjoyed the activities that were set up outside and my son loved all the free trinkets and prizes. We even tie dyed Air Zoo shirts ($5 each) and they turned out awesome! I think they have a few more STEAM days so you might want to coordinate your visit with one of them. read more

See all

Fabulous day trip! Everyone was so friendly upon greeting us. It was our first visit and the employees and volunteers were very helpful. The first thing I noticed was the cleanliness. Everything was tidy including the restrooms. Everything was stocked and clean. So many great exhibits with just the right amount of information that is well written and easy to understand. Great hands-on activities for kids and the rides were a major hit too! The simulators were not up and running on the date of our visit but hopefully they will be going again soon. The Kitty Hawk Cafe was fabulous! The line was long but the staff was hustling! Our order taker was polite and friendly. She made sure our order was put into the system correctly. She directed us to the seating area and told us our food would be brought out to us. Our order was accurate and so delicious! We had 2 burgers, the turkey club and the cordon bleu sandwich. Fabulous!! We really enjoyed our day trip to the Air Zoo and highly recommend it! read more

See all

I think this is a great museum for all ages. We saw many families there with small children, but my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it ourselves. There are many rides in the museum plus many interactive exhibits. Unfortunately most of them were not operating when we were there. If they were not, I could not imagine how much time we would have spent here; you can easily spend all day. Plan to give yourself enough time to check out the air plane refurbishment area at the back of the property which is also really neat and you can go in there with your admission wristband. read more

See all

Great experience! Love the Air Zoo and museum! It's a great experience for kids, too! We really enjoyed taking our grandkids there!

We have visited the Air Zoo many times since it opened. It has always been a favorite museum for us. They always have lots of activities for kids. New displays are creative and interesting. read more

Kalamazoo's Air Zoo museum is a great place for all ages! The staff are very knowledgeable, Dave spoke with my husband and I about many planes in the World War Two area. They have many interactive things for the kids, even some carnival type rides, all inside. The 1 hour movie about how they trained the Pilots to take off and land on aircraft carriers was super interesting. Well worth the trip. The gift shop was not overpriced $14.99 for a tee shirt was a good price. It's nice to see our history preserved. read more

See all

It's amazing how many planes they manage to pack into the space, let alone all the activities available. If you or someone you know is an aviation fanatic, this is a must-visit spot. What's extra great about the Air Zoo is it's a place you can really grow with. There are activities appropriate for all ages, from rides appropriate for young tots to flight simulators and video games for teens and adults, and even biplane rides available for a surcharge in the summer (they fly over they lake on which I live, as well as a few other nearby lakes). Today I attended my Goddaughter's Match Day for WMU's med school which was hosted at the Air Zoo (she got her top pick! La!) What a great spot for an event. The food was delicious and all the entertainment available at the Air Zoo was such a nice bonus after the program concluded. read more

See all

Amazing experience! Absolutely loved all the planes and exhibits and my toddler had a great time as well!

Awesome museum with very cool historical info, big planes, nice staff and fun kiddie rides.

My son has autism and sensory issues and we took a trip here today and he had SO much fun. The staff operating the rides were amazing and so kind. They told us if my son got overwhelmed while riding, that they would stop the ride for him. They also asked permission to tighten seatbelts and made sure we were comfortable. That is hard to come across sometimes as a special needs family. I am very impressed, this is a very inclusive place for everyone. The staff should be proud of themselves!!! read more

Haven't been here in a few years. I really enjoyed the new space display in the back of the main building. We are fortunate that a friend of ours is a docent there. Learned quite a bit in the restoration building about an airplane that was being restored. read more

A gem of an air museum. We are fortunate to have it here. The volunteers there are friendly and helpful

Although it only offers so much to view and see. It provides some cute rides where my niece and nephew had a blast. So if you're taking the kids for a day and need an activity to do this is the one! read more

My family could go here weekly it's that fun ! We get to go all we want in the month of May because of our membership to the Gilmore Car Museum. They have a quaint little gift shop with some cool things like used books about planes, space and more. T-shirts, keychains, post cards and so much more than you would expect! The outside of the building is beautiful and it has planes to look out on display outside. When you walk in you pay at the front desk. If you'd like a membership it's $100 for a family membership. And you save so much throughout the year ! There is so much to see and learn about! They also have rides for the kids inside, snacks on this super cute old fashioned cart! And A LIBRARY! So cool! they also have this little theatre type thing where they show a small film tang tells you some history about the war and some planes and why they used them now they did! The kids have a blast because most of the things in the air zoo are hands on. Tons of buttons to push, things to listen to, things to learn about! Some amazing history! They also change things up monthly so you never get bored! They have some pretty cool things coming about tornados, hurricanes and weather my kids are super excited for. Especially the hands on parts ! I definitely highly recommended this for a family fun place, so much to do and see!! read more

See all