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Up to 3 hours

USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum

Climb aboard the USS Midway Museum and explore this long-serving US aircraft carrier.

Normal price: up to
$39.00
Midway
Midway
Midway
Family-friendly
Indoors


What you'll do

Take a self-guided tour around 60 exhibits including the sleeping quarters, engine room, galley, and ship jail.

Learn all about the ship’s decades of service and the 225,000 sailors that served on board the craft. Explore the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum’s exhibits, multimedia displays, interactive experiences, and more. The audio tour is narrated by Midway sailors who bring the Midway’s history to life with stories of their first-hand experiences living on the ship while at sea for months at a time.

Take a step back in time and be amazed at the sheer size and beauty of the scale of the ship. With passes from Go City, you can enjoy this museum + many other local San Diego attractions for one low cost!

Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum highlights

The Hangar Deck

This is the first area of the ship you’ll encounter. It serves as the ship’s hangar deck with a collection of 29 meticulously-restored aircraft, including an F/A-18 Hornet, a WWII SDB Dauntless dive bomber, an F9F-P Cougar from the Korean War, and more. Starting in January 2020 a reproduced Devastator airplane used in the filming of the movie Midway will be on display. This original prop is the only Devastator in existence. You’ll see machines that were integral forces during times of combat, such as World War II and Desert Storm, as well as being used for important humanitarian missions.

The Flight Deck

This open-air level hosts additional aircraft. Explore the flight deck and the impressively small runway that planes would take off from while at sea. Docents stationed on the deck offer educational lectures about takeoff and landing methods, and this is where you can get some of the best views of San Diego.

Captain’s Bridge and Flight Control Center

Only about 1,600 people per day are allowed to tour the ship’s main control center called the Captain’s Bridge. It's on a first-come, first-served basis, so head straight there if you want to tour this area.

Battle of the Midway Theater

This 90-seat theater aboard the Midway features an inspirational 15-minute multimedia movie, Voices of the Midway. It details the Battle of Midway and features former members of the military who survived the battle. The movie is narrated by a hologram figure of a young sailor telling the story of his experience.

Climb-in aircraft

Hop on board several aircraft carriers and check out the cockpits and controls. You'll get a feel for what it would have been like to fly in the pilot’s seat.

The Lower Decks

Get a glimpse into daily life on the USS Midway for the 5,000 sailors on board. Here, you’ll get to see the kitchen, laundry rooms, engine rooms, enlisted bunks, officer quarters, the anchor room, a movie theater, and more.

Museum docents

One of the USS Midway Museum’s key features is the museum docents you’ll meet throughout the ship, each eager to share their own personal experience with the USS Midway or a fun anecdote.

Fantail Café

Grab a bite to eat from this maritime-themed cafe which features meals made from the ship’s original 1945 menu.

Facts

  • The USS Midway is classified as a CV-41 aircraft carrier.

  • The ship is 972 feet in length and weighs 74,000 tons – so large it earned its title as a “city at sea” and “floating city”. from the sailors that served aboard from 1945 to 1992.

  • It’s the 20th Century’s longest-serving aircraft carrier.


What's included

  • Check Icon

    Access to all permanent exhibitions

  • Check Icon

    Self-guided audio tour narrated by Midway sailors

  • Check Icon

    Explore the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum’s exhibits, multimedia displays, interactive experiences, and more.

  • Close Icon

    Your pass does not include special rides such as the flight simulator.




Operating hours

Daily: 10AM - 5PM.

Last entry at 4PM

Closings & holidays

Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. 
All holiday hours are subject to change without notice.

Find out more

For more information, visit the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum website.

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