Hill Aerospace Museum, located in Roy, Utah, is a U.S. Air Force museum that is part of the United States Air Force Heritage Program. The museum is located off Interstate 15 and is near Hill Airforce Base.
The museum, founded in 1981 and moved to its current location in 1991, displays over 90 aircraft from around the world, in addition to a variety of munitions, equipment, auxiliary vehicles, and other items of historical interest.
In 1996, the Museum became the home of the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame.
The aircraft
The collection of aircraft is quite large and includes a variety of aircraft from around the world. Among the many aircraft on display are the B-17 Flying Fortress, SR-71C Blackbird, the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II, and one of the first operational F-16 Fighting Falcon USAF 79-0388.
The aircraft are divided into five exhibits that focus on a specific era in the history of flight: the Beginnings, World War II, Dawn of the Jet Age, The Cold War, and Keeping the Peace.
These displays simultaneously tell the story of both aviation in general and the history of Hill AFB, giving visitors a unique perspective on the growth and evolution of Hill Airforce Base alongside developments in aircraft technology.
Research and library
In addition to its collection of aircraft from around the world, Hill also houses the Major General Rex A. Hadley Research Library and Archives, which contains a great amount of technical and historical information related to the aircraft on display. At this time, however, the library is not available to the general public.
Admission, visiting and hours of operation
Hill Aerospace Museum is open daily from 9:00am â€" 4:30pm and closes only on Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving. Admission is free. Currently closed on Sundays and Mondays during DoD Furlough.
ACE Learning Center
The Museum is also home to the ACE (aerospace center for education) Learning Center, a favorite of locals and a must-see for visitors who stop by from out of town. Founded by one paid staff member and a staff of volunteers as an educational resource for the community, the Learning Center has a become a place of discovery, particularly for children of all ages. In the Center, visitors may learn about (and experiment with!) centrifugal force, angular momentum, gyroscopes, electricity, propulsion methods, aviation, and many others. Complete with totally hands-on activities, the Learning Center is a must for any age. The Center is also home to a large collection of flight simulators which anyone may try. The Learning Center is open to the public from 9:30-3:00 pm from Tuesday through Saturday, with an hour lunch break from 12:00-1:00 pm. Educators and those bringing groups may also call ahead to schedule a field trip or a tour, request a tour guide, or request a briefing before touring the museum on their own. The telephone number is (801) 777-6818.
Other Air Force museums
- See: National Museum of the United States Air Force and Other USAF museums
See also
- Hill Air Force Base
- List of aerospace museums
References
External links
- Official website
- Museum web site on the Utah Education Network