The San Diego Air & Space Museum Leading the Way in Safely Reopening
The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a national and international treasure, and when it re-opened on March 17, it became the only museum in Balbo Park to open each and every time on the very first day it was allowed to over the past year. The Museum’s opening provides guests with a fun, learning and inspirational experience so desperately needed during this time of great challenge.
Accordingly, the Museum is adhering to the safety measures established by the State and County for a safe re-opening to the public, including but not limited to: capacity limits, social distancing, requiring facemasks for guests and employees (regardless of vaccination status), hand sanitizer stations, advising guests and staff who are not feeling well to stay home, continuous cleaning and sanitizing of the Museum and more.
“The safety of our staff has and always will be our number one priority, period! Our entire team is thrilled to once again provide the world-class experience everyone who visits the San Diego Air & Space Museum deserves,” said Jim Kidrick, President & CEO of the Museum. “Each time we have been forced to close, we have spent the entire time ensuring the Museum is a safe and welcoming place for families to come back and have a fun, safe experience. We are confident we have done everything possible to safely welcome guests back to the Museum. It is time for us to re-connect with old friends and make some new friends!”
Museum staff are screened daily through a state-of-the-art thermal scanner prior to entering the museum, and because of the recent change in San Diego County’s tier status, the Museum can operate at fifty percent capacity. Considering the museum is an incomparable 100,000 square feet in size, there is plenty of room for you to visit, and keep your distance from others!
The Museum is home to examples of some of the most iconic aircraft and spacecraft ever built, including a flight worthy replica of Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis,” which was built right here in San Diego. Also on display is the actual Apollo 9 Command Module “Gumdrop,” one of only eleven Apollo Command Modules on display in the world. Next to Apollo 9 is a display with the actual moon rock box used by Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong to collect lunar samples during the historic Apollo 11 first moon landing in July 1969.
Several of the aircraft at the Museum were restored by – or even better – built from scratch – in the nationally-recognized Restoration Shop in the Museum’s basement. Among the aircraft built at the Museum is a replica of the Bell X-1 Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in on October 14, 1947, a famous Gee Bee racer in the Golden Age of Flight Gallery, and a vintage Peashooter in the World War II Gallery.
The Museum is open year-round, seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., providing guests with a fun, educational and interactive experience through its “SPACE: Our Greatest Adventure” special exhibition and multiple galleries centered around the past, present and future of aviation and space exploration.
“For anyone looking for an enjoyable, family-friendly outing in a safe and socially-distanced environment, the San Diego Air & Space Museum is ready to welcome you back,” said Kidrick.
