About
The Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset is the world's largest naval aviation museum and one of the most spectacular aviation attractions in the United Kingdom. Home to more than 90 aircraft spanning the entire history of British naval flying from the earliest biplanes of the First World War to cutting-edge supersonic jets, the museum offers an immersive journey through over a century of aviation achievement tied to Britain's Royal Navy.
The museum's centrepiece is Concorde 002, the British-built prototype that first flew in 1969 and is displayed in its own dedicated hall. Visitors can board the aircraft and experience the cramped cockpit and passenger cabin, making it one of the most thrilling hands-on exhibits at any aviation museum in Europe. The Concorde Experience is a highlight of any visit, combining atmospheric theatre with genuine historic aircraft access.
Four main exhibition halls trace the development of naval aviation through meticulously restored aircraft, personal artefacts, photographs, and multimedia presentations. The museum's collection includes the largest collection of British carrier-borne aircraft in existence, with aircraft ranging from Sopwith Pups and Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bombers to Sea Harriers, Sea Kings, and Buccaneers. The wartime galleries examine the Fleet Air Arm's role in key Second World War campaigns including the attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto, the hunt for the Bismarck, and operations in the Pacific.
A working replica of a Royal Navy aircraft carrier deck forms one of the museum's most dramatic features, allowing visitors to experience the sights and sounds of carrier operations. Simulators, interactive displays, and an extensive archive of film footage bring the experience to life for visitors of all ages. The museum is an essential destination for anyone interested in aviation history, naval history, or the remarkable story of human flight.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings outside school holidays for the best experience without queues for Concorde
💡 Visitor Tips
- Allow at least a full half-day (3-4 hours) — the museum is large and the Concorde Experience alone takes 45 minutes.
- Book tickets in advance during school holidays and summer to avoid disappointment at peak times.
- The carrier deck experience involves sound effects and atmospheric lighting that can be overwhelming for very young children — check before entering.
- RNAS Yeovilton is still an active military airfield; you may see and hear Royal Navy helicopters flying overhead — a spectacular backdrop to your visit.
- Free on-site parking makes this an easy car-based trip; the museum is not easily accessible without a car so plan transport in advance.
- The Haynes International Motor Museum (cars and motorcycles) is nearby — combine both in a day trip for a full transport heritage experience.
- The museum shop stocks a wide range of aviation books, scale models, and gift items — worth time at the end of your visit.
Highlights
Concorde 002 — Board the British Prototype
The museum's undisputed star attraction is Concorde 002, the British-built prototype of the world's most famous supersonic airliner.
This aircraft made its first flight in April 1969 and completed over 400 test flights before retiring to Yeovilton. Visitors board the aircraft and walk through the narrow passenger cabin, experiencing the cramped but elegant interior that once carried passengers at twice the speed of sound.
An atmospheric theatre experience recreates the sights and sounds of supersonic flight, placing visitors in the story of one of aviation's greatest achievements. Concorde 002 is one of only a small number of Concordes on display anywhere in the world.
Aircraft Carrier Deck Experience
A full-scale replica of a Royal Navy aircraft carrier flight deck forms one of the museum's most dramatic and original exhibits. Visitors walk across the deck surrounded by carrier-borne aircraft in take-off and landing configurations, with atmospheric sound effects and lighting recreating the intensity of flight deck operations.
The exhibit demonstrates the extraordinary skill and danger involved in carrier aviation, from the compressed catapult launches to the precise arrested landings on a pitching deck at sea.
This immersive experience brings together the museum's wider message about the human achievement behind naval flying in a way that no static display can replicate.
World War Two Naval Aviation
The Second World War galleries cover the Fleet Air Arm's pivotal and often overlooked role in the Allied victory. Highlights include displays on the attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto in November 1940 — the world's first all-aircraft naval attack, which inspired Japan's strike on Pearl Harbor — and the epic hunt for the Bismarck.
The galleries hold original Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bombers, the fabric-covered biplanes that sank more enemy shipping than any other Allied aircraft type.
Personal accounts, medals, photographs, and operational documents bring humanity to the story of aircrews who flew in appalling conditions over the North Atlantic, Arctic convoys, and Pacific theatre.
Cold War Jets and Sea Harrier
The post-war and Cold War galleries trace the rapid development of jet-powered naval aviation from the late 1940s through to the 1990s. The Sea Harrier — the revolutionary vertical take-off jet that played a decisive role in the 1982 Falklands War — features prominently, with cockpit access and detailed accounts of combat operations.
Other Cold War aircraft on display include the de Havilland Sea Venom, the Hawker Hunter, and the Blackburn Buccaneer strike aircraft.
These galleries demonstrate how the Fleet Air Arm adapted to the jet age while maintaining the unique demands of carrier operations at sea, and contain aircraft that are found nowhere else in the world.
Collections
The Fleet Air Arm Museum holds over 90 aircraft representing the complete history of British naval aviation from 1914 to the present day, plus extensive holdings of personal artefacts, medals, photographs, documents, and film. The collection includes the largest group of carrier-borne British aircraft in existence, ranging from Sopwith biplanes to Sea Harriers and Concordes.
Aircraft are supported by navigational instruments, flying suits, weapons, ship models, and audiovisual material.
The archive holds rare operational records, logbooks, and film footage documenting Fleet Air Arm operations in both World Wars, the Falklands, and beyond.
Hall 1 — The Early Years
Naval aviation from 1914 through the Second World War including original Fairey Swordfish aircraft
📍 Hall 1
Hall 2 — The Carrier Experience
Full-scale replica carrier deck and immersive carrier operations experience
📍 Hall 2
Hall 3 — Into the Jet Age
Cold War naval aviation including Sea Harrier and Falklands War displays
📍 Hall 3
Hall 4 — The Concorde Experience
Concorde 002 — board the British supersonic prototype
📍 Hall 4
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.