The Wings Over the Rockies (WOTR) Air and Space Museum is a fascinating museum situated in Hangar 1 of the former Lowry Air Force Base. The museum was established in 1994, and later in 1997, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill that made WOTR the state’s official air and space museum. WOTR has a second location, Exploration of Flight, which is about 19 miles south of the museum.
Visiting the Air and Space Museum
I will admit I am not all that interested in aviation, so what led me to the Air and Space Museum was a special exhibit it was hosting on Snoopy and his Red Baron persona. I am a major fan of all things Snoopy; thus, this site quickly became a must-see when planning my trip to Denver. In the end, I am glad I visited the museum because it was a cool experience seeing the military aircraft up close, and the exhibits were well-curated.
The Air and Space Museum has a mix of permanent and special exhibits, and for the adventurous, there is a set of MaxFlight Simulators. The admission fee covers all exhibits, but the simulator rides are an additional cost that can only be paid in person.
I visited this museum on a Friday afternoon, and there were only a handful of other guests. I spent about an hour exploring the museum, mainly walking around to view the aircraft, checking out the Snoopy special exhibit, and browsing a handful of the permanent collections. For those who are fascinated by aviation and history, I say you can easily spend two hours or more.
If driving to the museum, there is plenty of parking to the south and east of the building. I used Uber, a ride-share service, and the drive was about 20 minutes from downtown Denver.
The space section of the museum was my favorite, as I love anything having to do with space travel. This part of the museum had a series of displays, a few interactive exhibits, and some interesting artifacts from NASA and former astronauts. I enjoyed learning more about Jack Swigert, one of the astronauts onboard the ill-fated Apollo 13.
If you plan to visit other museums in Denver, I highly recommend purchasing the Denver City Pass as a way to save money. My post about this pass provides more information and shows its value.
The Air and Space Museum is fully accessible, and guests can request a wheelchair at no additional cost. The museum also provides sensory bags, which include items such as earmuffs and fidgets, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Resources
For additional information on tours and accessibility, visit the Wings Over the Rockies website.
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