Shannon Aviation Museum

About the museum

Shannon Aviation Museum was founded in 2007 by Eddie Ryan and Jane Magill and is run as a not-for-profit charity, the Irish Aviation Foundation. It has received state and local grants for particular building projects but says it has no regular public funding. The museum stands on Link Road in Smithstown, close to Shannon Airport, and has grown from a modest local initiative into one of the best-known visitor attractions of the Shannon region.

The collection is arranged in several parts. The National Collection gathers aircraft, engines and equipment of the Irish Air Corps, among them Fouga Magister jets, a De Havilland Vampire and a Percival Provost, and is shown in the Irish Air Corps Display Hall. The International Collection holds cockpits, engines and airframes such as a Blackburn Buccaneer, a BAC One-Eleven cockpit, an English Electric Lightning cockpit and several light aircraft. A separate exhibition follows the early history of Shannon Airport from the 1930s to the 1960s, from the choice of the site and the building of the runways to the first transatlantic passenger flights and the creation of the first duty-free shop in the world. Further displays deal with cabin crew and with the Second World War.

Besides the self-guided and guided museum visits, the museum is known for its Aviation Discovery Tour, which combines a flight-simulator session with a guided walk through the collection, and for education programmes for schools, scout groups and young people.

Highlights

• Irish Air Corps collection with Fouga Magister jets and a De Havilland Vampire
• Cockpits of a BAC One-Eleven, an English Electric Lightning and a SEPECAT Jaguar
• Exhibition on the history of Shannon Airport from the 1930s to the 1960s
• Aviation Discovery Tour with a flight-simulator session
• Cabin crew and Second World War displays

Permanent exhibitions

• National Collection (Irish Air Corps) – Aircraft, engines and equipment of the Irish Air Corps, including Fouga Magister jets, a De Havilland Vampire and a Percival Provost.
• International Collection – Cockpits, engines and airframes from around the world, such as a Blackburn Buccaneer, a BAC One-Eleven cockpit and an English Electric Lightning cockpit.
• History of Shannon Airport – The early years of Shannon Airport from the 1930s to the 1960s, from the choice of the site to the first transatlantic passenger flights and the first duty-free shop.

Founded

2007

Operated by

Irish Aviation Foundation CLG

Admission & discounts

The prices above apply to the guided museum tour and the interactive audio tour, which are booked online. Tickets are valid on the selected date.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum states that it is wheelchair accessible and that guide dogs are welcome. Autism-friendly and Down syndrome-friendly Aviation Discovery Tours can be requested in advance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Flight-simulator experiences are suitable from age 8. The museum offers birthday parties, aviation camps for children aged 8 and over, school tours and a scout air-skills badge programme.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Link Road in Smithstown, Shannon, just off the motorway near Shannon Airport.

Amenities & dining

Free on-site parking. An online store and gift cards are offered.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Corporate hire packages combine a guided tour with a Boeing 737-800NG simulator session and use the Irish Air Corps Display Hall as a backdrop. Birthday parties for children aged 8 and over are also offered.

Plan your visit