Prairie Aviation Museum, Bloomington

About Prairie Aviation Museum

Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington displays eleven aircraft and two helicopters in its Airpark, along with piston and jet engines including a J57, TF-30, and A-4. Inside the museum, visitors explore exhibits and interactive displays such as the Convair 880 simulator and a B-57 cockpit. The collection includes an F-14 Tomcat, the only one on static display in Illinois and featured in the original Top Gun film, plus an A4-Skyhawk and T-38 also connected to that movie. An updated PC simulator allows hands-on learning. Open Cockpit Days let visitors sit in actual aircraft and speak with volunteers who flew and maintained them. The all-volunteer museum, operating for over thirty-five years, welcomes families and visitors of all ages to touch displays and share aviation stories. The museum is located in Bloomington and opens seasonally on weekends with group tours available by advance arrangement.