Moffett Field Museum

Attended a chocolate event on Vday, an interesting lecture and presentation on chocolate, including exploration into its history, details about the founders of different chocolate companies like Hershey's, Nestlé, and Ghirardelli, mention of the cacao midge that pollinates trees, as well as discussion of the chemistry and ingredients of this "food of the gods." And of course, free samples for attendees. Yum!Moved on to the museum after the event, and there was a ton of displays fit into a small space, including aircraft models of various sizes, engine parts, historical artifacts related to moffett field and aviation in general, a WW2 hot air balloon basket, an interactive sonar simulator, a whole library of books, even a model train exhibit (hidden near the restrooms). There's a security check when driving in, where individuals in your vehicle have to show ID's, and plenty of parking next to the museum. They didn't check admission tickets at entry, and we just roamed around at our own pace while there. The place is quite interesting if you're into history, aircraft, or the armed forces, but again, it's on the small side so you can get through it pretty quickly, especially if some parts are closed like when we visited this past Friday.

This little museum is cute with lot of things to see, especially if you're interested in the airforce or navy.we went there because of the Hangar One. it's still deskinned today, I wonder when are they going to remodel it?

I was tasked to find a suitable location for my professional group to hold a memorable meeting. I thought I would check out the Moffett History Museum as I attended hosted events in the past. All you need to get on Moffett/Ames is a valid driver's license and state your intentions to the guard convincingly. It is a small Museum which you can see pretty much all of it in an hour and half. There is no charge but they do lean on you to make a donation.I made an appointment to see what the logistics would be to hold an event there. I talked to a guy named 'Harry' that appeared to be running the place. He gave me a quick tour of the facility which is a collection of displays in two old storage buildings located across from the skeleton of Hangar One and a few aircraft in the lot next door while bragging about his Navy career. Before I could ask about the details of holding the event there he was telling me about all the challenges the museum has between NASA Ames and its main tenant Google. This monologue went on for quite a while and after he was over I came to the conclusion I really did not want to patronize their museum to host our upcoming event as they appear to be having lots of problems.

Full sized NASA jets, war history, and aeronautical gadgets. A hidden model train room, where the restrooms are, which was created by servicemen in the 80's-90's. Plus, you can view the giant hanger and water tower from the museum. To get into Moffet Field, be prepared drive in and to have state issued IDs for all adults.

You will love it more if you let a docent show you the treasures. This is no slick and polished rock and roll hall of fame - this is a cobbled together labor of love. The real star is the BLIMP - the zeppelin, the dirigible, the reason there's a jumbo hangar at Moffett Field. Sadly, the blimps crashed, but the models and dioramas live on. Did you know that the blimps supported a battalion of tiny airplanes, called Sparrowhawks? They lived inside the blimp, like tiny male angler fishes, then were recovered after flights by trapeze! Can you even imagine? We could not, but our excellent tour guide and military veteran was ready with a laser pointer, guiding us through the diorama and archival posters.We visited during Fleet Week, so we also got to see planes using the adjacent runway for active flights, including H211 - the private airplanes owned by Google. Who doesn't love to watch planes, or even Harrier Jets? I think this place would be excellent for kids in the 7-12 year old age range who are interested in the military, aviation, and world history, as there is a lot to explore, but it's no children's museum. It's a historical society at its heart, and does what societies do best - show off the heritage of its members and allow outsiders to understand why a community seeks to remember and honor its past.

We were looking for the Nasa/Ames center but accidentally drove by it and into the gates of the compound. The security people thought we were coming here so they gave us directions. We got there just as they were closing shop (2:00 PM). However, the nice docent allowed us to take pictures next to the two planes outside the museum and he let us wander around the museum for 10 mnutes. They didn't have to do this since they are closed but that was a nice gesture on their part. The museum may be small but its packed with a lot of historical memorabilia. They even have a dog tag machine. You can get your own personalized dog tag for $5!There's a small gift shop as well.We will come back when they are open!

it is full of memorabilia, photos, uniforms, books, and so much amazing and interesting things. It is a treasure trove of things to see. There are great docents that will guide you if you call ahead... John Mascalli was a GREAT guide and really made the history of this place come alive. I never knew most of the info and I am really glad to have made this visit. It's so close, easy parking, and the museum has something for everyone, including planes and things to check out. Very cool. Moffett Field has a curious and interesting history. It was charged with the mission to keep our coastline protected and safe. The mapping and observation of the entire USA west coast was accomplished with many strategies, Zeppelins were only the beginning.

Really enjoyed this museum! It is small but a salute to the WWII generation. Great for older school children and teens.Tell the gate guard you're going to the museum, the drive straight to the hanger, turn right and park. We brought a lunch and let the kids run around near the bomber for fun.

Great museum! Came here with my dad, got there 3 minutes early and they let us in. A nice lady gave us the full tour of everything! Then we went outside and got to see the F-18 hornet, which was my favorite part of the day. 10/10 would go again.

EXCELLENT! Military history fans, military fans, don't miss this hidden gem. It's jam-packed with memorabilia, photos, documents, as well as equipment, cockpits, and actual military planes, which detail everything from the creation of Moffett Field to WWI, WWII, and modern history. Our tour guide was Matt, an Annapolis, graduate and a former aircraft carrier fighter pilot! Boy, was it interesting to ask him questions about that lifestyle. We also asked a ton of questions about Moffett and dirigibles. We got the answers from a former Navy pilot who is one of the best tour guides we've ever experienced. I've lived in the Bay Area, my entire life. For decades, I've driven by Moffett Field and those huge dirigible hangers. But I never knew there was anything particularly interesting, or that civilians would even be allowed onto this military base. (Be sure to bring photo ID for everyone.)For me, it gives me a deeper understanding of the profound and enduring commitment of military folks... not just the soldiers and pilots, but also the support folks on aircraft carriers, and the engineers who designed and built the military hardware. All of whom who protect our country in peace and in war. This museum was incredible. Highly recommended. Very entertaining.