Jet Age Museum

About the museum

The Jet Age Museum first opened in 1986 as the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection, set up to preserve the county's aviation heritage. For many years it was based at Brockworth, and in 2013 it moved to a purpose-built home at Meteor Business Park, on the north side of Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton. The new building was officially opened on 9 May 2014 by the museum's patron, Captain Eric Brown.

The museum is a registered charity, run entirely by volunteers and without government funding. It tells how Gloucestershire became a major centre of aviation, from the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company, founded in 1917 and later renamed Gloster, to the Gloster Meteor, the first British jet fighter to enter service, and the work of Sir Frank Whittle on the jet engine. Local suppliers such as Dowty and Smiths Industries are covered as well, including Dowty landing gear and propellers and the world's first Autoland system.

The collection includes aircraft, engines, cockpits and systems equipment, together with an archive of documents, photographs, films and technical drawings, among them the glass plate negatives of the Gloster photographer Russell Adams. Visitors can sit in several open cockpits, and the Trident and Vulcan cockpits are shown on free timed tours.

Highlights

• Free timed tours of the Trident and Vulcan cockpits
• Six open cockpits to sit in, including child-sized ones
• Gloster aircraft and engines from the early jet era
• Archive of Gloucestershire aviation, including the Russell Adams glass plate negatives
• Views of aircraft taking off and landing at Gloucestershire Airport

Permanent exhibitions

• Aircraft and engines – Gloster-built airframes, piston and jet engines, landing gear, propellers and avionics from Gloucestershire firms, including the first Autoland system.
• Open cockpits – Six cockpits to sit in, from small children-only ones to the Trident airliner and Vulcan bomber cockpits.
• Gloucestershire aviation heritage – More than a century of local aviation, from balloons and wartime fighters to the Red Arrows, Concorde testing and drones, backed by the museum's archive.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Gloucestershire Aviation Collection

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

There is no admission charge for the museum or its exhibits, including the cockpits. The museum suggests a donation of £5 for an individual and £10 for a family.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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

Wheelchair access is available into and throughout the museum, but not into the cockpits. One wheelchair can be borrowed free of charge from reception; booking ahead is recommended. The accessible toilet has baby-changing facilities. The nearest Changing Places toilet is at a supermarket in Cheltenham, about 3 miles away. Only accredited assistance dogs are allowed in the museum buildings; other dogs are welcome in the grounds on a lead.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

Visitors can sit in six open cockpits, including child-sized ones, and there are games, puzzles and a quiz trail. Access to some cockpits is via stairs, so adults need to help younger children.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the north side of Gloucestershire Airport, off Cheltenham Road East (B4063), near junction 11 of the M5. A satnav postcode does not lead directly to the museum: turn into Meteor Business Park at the traffic lights between the Safran and Ontic buildings and the blue gates are on the right.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Jet & Whittle Cafe serves hot and cold drinks, cakes, sandwiches and snacks, with heated indoor seating in winter. The shop stocks new and donated aviation books, model kits and souvenirs. There is a grass picnic area with tables overlooking the airport runways. The display hall is not heated and can be cold in winter.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

A community learning space, the café, audio-visual equipment, talks and guided tours can be arranged for private and corporate events.

Plan your visit