IWM Duxford

About the museum

Duxford began in 1917 as a Royal Flying Corps training aerodrome. From 1925 it was a fighter station, and in 1938 No. 19 Squadron there became the first to fly the Spitfire. It was a sector station in the Battle of Britain, and American fighter units used it from 1943 until the end of the war in Europe. The last operational flight left in July 1961.

When the Ministry of Defence declared the site surplus in 1969, the Imperial War Museum asked to use a hangar to store aircraft that it had no room for in London. Volunteers began restoring them, air shows followed from 1973, and in February 1976 the whole site was transferred to the museum, which made Duxford its first outstation. The museum opened to the public in 1977 and had its ten millionth visitor in 2005.

Today Duxford is a live airfield with a site about a mile long. Many of the original hangars and buildings from the First World War and the 1930s are still in use, including listed buildings, and purpose-built exhibition halls such as the American Air Museum hold aircraft like the B-52 Stratofortress and an SR-71 Blackbird. The site is also home to regimental museums and collection stores. A major redevelopment is under way: the Land Warfare Hall has closed and the AirSpace hangar is being turned into a Cold War exhibition, so some displays are being moved.

Highlights

• American Air Museum with a B-52 Stratofortress and the only SR-71 Blackbird outside the US
• Large aircraft such as the Avro Vulcan and Short Sunderland flying boat
• Historic Second World War spaces on the original airfield
• Conservation in Action: aircraft restoration work
• Aircraft taking off and landing on the live airfield

Permanent exhibitions

• American Air Museum – A hall with the B-52 Stratofortress, the SR-71 Blackbird and many other aircraft, included in the admission ticket.
• Historic Duxford – Immersive, hands-on exhibitions in the preserved buildings of the fighter station, where children can try on a pilot’s uniform.
• Conservation in Action – A hangar where visitors can watch specialist conservators working on large museum objects.

Founded

1977

Operated by

Imperial War Museums

Visitors per year

approx. 401,287 (2019)

Admission & discounts

Prices valid from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 for standard tickets without a donation (a ticket with a 10% voluntary donation costs £29.50 for an adult). Advance booking is advised. IWM members go free. Entry to the American Air Museum is included.

Accessibility

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

The visitor centre entrance is step-free and the whole site, about a mile across, is wheelchair accessible. Two lifts serve the mezzanine in Hangar 1 and another is in the Ops Block. A free site transport vehicle with space for manual wheelchairs runs on request, and wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be borrowed free (booking online). There are 19 Blue Badge bays and a registered Changing Places toilet with a shower in Hangar 1 (radar key). Induction loops are fitted in several areas, films in Hangar 1 and Historic Duxford have British Sign Language interpretation, and large print guides, sensory backpacks, ear defenders and a quiet room are available. Trained assistance dogs are admitted; other dogs are not permitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Free family activities run every weekend and every day in school holidays, and the Weston Play Zone is a large multi-sensory outdoor play area. Buggies are allowed but there is no buggy park, and scooters, bikes and skateboards are not allowed. A nursing room with a changing table is in Hangar 1. Children’s birthday parties are available for ages 5 to 10.

Getting there & parking

Duxford is at junction 10 of the M11, south of Cambridge and less than 50 miles from central London. Pilots with a private pilot’s licence can fly in with prior permission.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

Several cafés and the 19 Squadron Restaurant serve food prepared on site, plus a museum shop. There is no left-luggage or locker service. There are no cash machines; cards are accepted everywhere except the flight simulator, which takes cash.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Imperial War Museums offer venue hire and filming at their sites.

Plan your visit