Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Lexington Park

4.6

Military Museum · Museum

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The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum (PRNAM) is a member-supported, privately-funded museum preserving the history and heritage of Naval Aviation and associated technology.

Our mission is to “Preserve, Educate, Inspire” by presenting the continuing story of Naval Aviation with a focus on Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Our Vision is to be a highly valued community resource providing both educational and tourism benefits to the Southern Maryland area for generations.

Located just outside Gate 1 of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the PRNAM is operated by the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Association, Inc., a 501(C)3 non-profit charitable organization. First opened in 1978, the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum now spans three buildings and also includes a Flight Line consisting of one-of-a-kind aircraft and aircraft configurations unique to the Naval Test Center.

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Patuxent River Naval Air Museum reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating

144 reviews

Google

4.7

By Evil_E207

Love this little museum - have visited it many times when I was stationed there. I came back to the area for a retirement party and decided to visit it again. Very well done and love the updates...

Love this little museum - have visited it many times when I was stationed there. I came back to the area for a retirement party and decided to visit it again. Very well done and love the updates... more »
By ARL2601

Well worth the $9 adult admission ($7 military). Thorough but not overwhelming indoor exhibits and of course the flight line is the big draw - to be able to walk right up to classic aircraft. Helpful.... more

Well worth the $9 adult admission ($7 military). Thorough but not overwhelming indoor exhibits and of course the flight line is the big draw - to be able to walk right up to classic aircraft. Helpful.... more »
By Rob H

Thoroughly enjoyed visit. Excellent well kept displays, both inside and outside. Unlike many air museums, able to walk-up and touch them. Loved the hands on mock-up trainers and simulators. Very...

Thoroughly enjoyed visit. Excellent well kept displays, both inside and outside. Unlike many air museums, able to walk-up and touch them. Loved the hands on mock-up trainers and simulators. Very... more »

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Google

By Chris

Absolutely loved this place. There's actually two museums, the first has a few planes and a drone helicopter along with one of the first F-35 test models. The second building has more of the equipment used on the planes, model aircraft along with cut outs of the engines. In this same building are also flight simulators, this was a great experience. It's only 10 dollars for 30 minutes. The software is from the 90's so it's really outdated but the fact that you can get in the cockpit of a formerly operational military aircraft is just wild. The guys that work there are either former active military or engineers who worked with the aircraft there. They're all extremely knowledgeable and have some great stories about the aircraft. It's a great place to kill a few hours.

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By Sherie Robey

The museum is about preserving the history and heritage of Naval Aviation and associated technology. Touching the Blue Angel on display was awesome! Additionally, the history / legacy of one of the local lighthouses, Cedar Point was honored.

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By Gary Connor

Friday morning visit. Small crowd. A USN unit was having a ceremonial award presentation which impacted the main building but actually added to the visit. I had visited the museum 25 years ago when it was a quonset hut and planes parked in a parking lot, so this new facility was great to see. The Main Building was spotless and the artifacts well presented. The ramp parking area was clean and organized but..... There is no such thing as a bad air museum. There is always something to see and something to learn. But without a docent or guide the museum is just a junk yard of old metal. It is unique that all the planes on display actually flew at Pax River but there was no explanation why. What was the research goal? What was the result of the tests and did airmen sacrifice their lives to gain the knowledge. So while I will always visit a museum, I left Pax River disappointed.

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By Tyler Peters

Amazing experience. Way better than expected! If you have any interest in aviation this is a must stop!

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By Jeff Adkins

This is a very cool aviation museum. You can just feel the innovation that went on and tested at pax river.

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