South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum

About the museum

The museum began in 1973 as the South Yorkshire Aviation Society. A display opened at Nostell Priory in 1976 as the Nostell Aviation Museum, and in 1981 the collection moved to Home Farm near Maltby, on the former RAF Firbeck site, when the society took the name South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.

In 1998 to 1999 a four-acre site on the former RAF Doncaster became available, with a wartime Bellman hangar and two wartime wooden buildings. The museum took a lease from Doncaster Council, repaired the buildings and opened to the public over the August Bank Holiday weekend in 1999. It became a registered museum in 2003 and gained Accredited Museum status in 2010.

The museum is run as a registered charity and is a member of Aviation Heritage UK. Its displays cover early aviation, radar and the RAF Fighter Control Operations Room, the Sheffield Blitz, the Northern Battle of Britain Memorial, the Falklands War and Poland at war.

Highlights

• Falklands War display "11 Weeks in 1982"
• Recreated 1940 RAF Fighter Control Operations Room
• Northern Battle of Britain Memorial naming 544 aircrew
• Early aviation and the 1909 Doncaster aviation meeting
• Sheffield Blitz display and radar exhibits
• Aircraft on the former RAF Doncaster site

Permanent exhibitions

• 11 Weeks in 1982 – The museum's largest permanent Falklands War display, with a day-by-day account of the war, islanders' experiences, aircraft flown by both sides and a memorial.
• The Operations Room – A recreation of a 1940 RAF Fighter Control Operations Room showing how Britain's air defence was organised.
• Northern Battle of Britain Memorial – A memorial listing the names of the 544 RAF Fighter Command aircrew lost between May and September 1940.

Founded

1973

Operated by

South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum (registered charity no. 1149429)

Admission & discounts

Prices shown are standard admission. With Gift Aid the prices are 9.35 pounds for adults, 8.25 pounds for over 60s, 4.95 pounds for children and 23.10 pounds for the family ticket. No booking is needed for general admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

About 95 percent of the museum can be used by wheelchair and mobility scooter users. Two small areas are not accessible: one up a flight of stairs in the main hangar and the Royal Observer Display. All public display buildings have ramps and disabled facilities are in building 19. Disabled parking is close to the entrance. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on a lead.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Sat nav postcode is DN4 7NW (the postal address is DN4 7FB); the what3words address is struck.pines.lifted. From Doncaster leave the A638 (Bawtry Road) at the ASDA / Doncaster Dome junction and follow the brown "Air Museum" signs; from the M18 take junction 3 and follow the brown signs for Lakeside. Helicopter visits need prior permission by telephone at least 48 hours ahead.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is no café; the shop sells hot and cold drinks, crisps, chocolate and packaged snacks, and visitors may bring their own food and use indoor or outdoor seating. The shop is open to anyone during opening hours and stocks model kits, die-casts and modelling supplies.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit