Military Aviation Museum

The Military Aviation Museum sits on a private grass airfield in Virginia Beach, home to one of the world's largest collections of flying vintage military aircraft from the WWI and WWII eras. Originally the private collection of Virginia Beach businessman Gerald Yagen, the museum opened to the public in 2008 and today welcomes more than 85,000 visitors a year to see warbirds maintained in operational, flying condition rather than kept as static displays. The campus blends museum galleries with authentic historic structures relocated from overseas, including the Goxhill Watch Office, a former U.S. 8th Air Force control tower from England, and Halle 6 Cottbus, a German airfield hangar that still bears battle damage from 1945. Two 15,000-square-foot hangars, each accommodating up to 600 guests, offer climate-controlled indoor space for weddings, corporate events, and holiday parties, while the historic WWI Hangar and the open museum grounds provide rustic and outdoor alternatives for events as large as 5,000 with tents and staging. The museum can also add a private aircraft demonstration to an event rental, giving guests a warbird flyover as part of their evening.