Pima Air Museum 6000 E. Valencia (520) 574-0462

   In 1966, a group of military and civilian enthusiasts presented to Pima County their concept of an air museum for Tucson. On May 2, 1967 the Pima County Board of Supervisors appointed a committee to locate and obtain a site for such a museum. Authorization was given on July 18 of that year for incorporation of the Tucson Air Museum Foundation of Pima County, a non-profit educational corporation responsible for the operation of Pima Air Museum.

   Under the Federal Parks Act, Pima County obtained a 320 acre parcel of government land from the Bureau of Land Management. The $800.00 purchase price was provided by the Foundation with the land being deeded to Pima County for a regional park. Approximately 30 acres of the portion were fenced in for the museum, and the perimeter lighting and a well were installed. The original area has now been expanded to approximately 75 fenced-in acres.

        In October, 1969, 35 Air Force aircraft which the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center had displayed along Golf Links Road became the nucleus of the museum. They were moved to the new site in August of 1973 following inspection and certification by the Air Force Museum.

   The dream became reality when on May 8, 1976, as an official Bicentennial event, the Pima Air Museum was dedicated and opened to the public. The collection which by then had grown to 75 aircraft continues to grow and as of now contains more than 200 examples. Many are rare and some can be seen nowhere else.

   Pima Air Museum, the largest privately financed air museum in existence, is guided by the Foundation Board of Directors and operated by a dedicated staff of employees and volunteers. Its aircraft collection is one of the largest in the world.