Aerospace Hall, California Museum of Science and Industry (Los Angeles)

Now that the construction of its counterpart, the California Science Center, has recently been completed, the Aerospace Hall itself is under rennovation.

Located in Riverside at a former Strategic Air Command base (now California Air National Guard), the March Field Museum is home to some 45 static aircraft.  The museum is particularly strong in aircraft from the Vietnam War era, but also possesses one of the few remaining B-29 bombers from World War II.  Some of the other highlights include a SR-71 Blackbird, a B-52D, and a KC-97L Stratofreighter.  The museum is just down the highway from the Orange Empire Railway Museum (see below), but it can be unbearably hot during the summer, so take a hat and sunscreen.  Admission is free (a donation is suggested).

San Diego Aerospace Museum (San Diego)

Since being destroyed in a fire in the 1980s, San Diego's Aerospace Museum has relocated and recovered.  Now housed in a circular building in another part of Balboa Park, the museum's collection of historical planes and displays is better than ever with 25 aircraft on display.  The museum's strongest aspects are its interpretive displays such as those dealing with World War I and with Navy aircraft during World War II.  In the latter, for example, one walks among dive bombers and fighters (including a Japanese Zero) in an area designed to look like an American aircraft carrier in the Pacific, complete with a conning-tower observation station.  Similarly, visitors view a film about modern carrier operations in a mock-up of a pilot's ready room.  Admission is $6 for over 17; $2 for ages 6-17.  Visit their on-line exhibit.

Focused primarily on the development of the Marine air arm, the museum located at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, has a collection of over 35 aircraft containing mostly fighters and heliocopters from World War II to the present day.  The displays inside the museum trace the history of the Marine Corps aircraft and exploits.  Admission is free with suggested donation.  Call for hours: (714) 726-4360.

Orange Empire Railway Museum  (Perris)

One of the greatest railway museums in the world, the Orange Empire Railway Museum is home to a huge collection of locomotives, cars, and trolleys, many of which have been restored to beautiful running order.  The museum's collection specializes in trolley cars and interurbans from Southern California, but its collection includes many full gage and narrow gage equipment from around the country.  Admission to the grounds is free.  On the weekends, you can purchase a pass to ride the demonstration trains and cars.

The museum is just down the highway from the March Field Museum, but it can be unbearably hot during the summer, so take a hat and sunscreen.  Luckily, you can take a tour of the grounds online.  The museum's web site is very extensive, and is worth a visit as is its gift shop.

OK, so not only does it NOT deal with aviation, this stuff isn't even REAL.  Nevertheless, the museum is well worth a visit.  The rail systems presented are not only extremely large, they are also terribly detailed.  Their design is based on real railroads in Southern California, and demonstrates their historical development.  Admission is $3, but children under 15 are admitted free.  Visit the museum's on-line tour.